Five Towns Jewish Home 12.29.22

very year, we put together for you a TJH Year in Review. I like to refer to it as a “TJH Year in Review” because we try to put our slant on the year and the news that came along with it. We can’t change the news or recreate what has happened, but we can frame the news in a more positive and uplifting way. And that, I think, is what TJH is about.

Each week, as we send the paper to print, I breathe a small sigh of relief and send up a heartfelt prayer of thanks for having been able to get to the finish line. When I leaf through the paper in its final form, I am amazed at how much we were able to pack into one issue.

More than that, I am humbled by the vibe that envelops you as you look through TJH. It’s a warm, comforting tone, a feeling of positivity and optimism. And that’s by design.

You see, we know that many of you look forward to reading TJH on Shabbos and see it as a respite from your busy life. We hope that TJH adds to your oneg Shabbos and menucha on Shabbos. Gone should be thoughts of

stresses and busyness. Instead, we hope that you will come away from TJH more content, enlightened, and grounded.

Our Year in Review is composed based on that concept. Sure, 2022 had its ups and downs, its challenges and pressures. There were days that were more stressful than others. There were times of uncertainty and confusion. There were moments of angst and aggravation. But that’s not what we focus on. We try to remember the lighthearted moments of 2022. And even when we recount the more serious parts of the news, we try to frame them in a more palatable way.

As with every issue of TJH, we hope that our final product reflects our intent. And if you come away feeling relaxed and maybe smiled a bit as you took a walk with us down the memory lane of this past year, then we know that we accomplished what we set out to do.

you a wonderful week, Shoshana

Yitzy Halpern, PUBLISHER publisher@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Yosef Feinerman, MANAGING EDITOR ads@fivetownsjewishhome.com

Shoshana Soroka, EDITOR editor@fivetownsjewishhome.com

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Wishing

Mostly Sunny Mostly Sunny

Dear Editor,

Watching my children light my menorah, I had a few thoughts that I wanted to share with your readers.

First off, when lighting, I noticed that if you put the shammash candle too close to the wick you are trying to light, you end up extinguishing the fire. Instead, you need to put your shammash’s fire close, really close, to the candle you are trying to light. And then, only then, is that new candle able to receive the flame.

That taught me an important lesson in chinuch. We need to nurture our youth and help them to grow – but we can’t stifle them. We need to show them the beauty of our lifestyle and our ways but we can’t force it on them. If we keep them close, then hopefully the inspiration and love for Yiddishkeit that we have will “jump” to them and light their love as well.

I also noticed that there are times that you light a candle and the fire in that candle is very small. So small, that perhaps you think that that fire is going to be blown out or won’t amount to anything at all. But take a step back and give that candle a chance and you’ll see that it will develop and grow into a full flame.

The same is with our youth. We need to plant the seeds and give them the right foundations. And even if it seems like their flames are so small that they can’t carry the full light, you will see, that in years down the line, their flames will become big and beautiful – and be able to light the fire of Yiddishkeit for others.

Wishing everyone a lichtige winter! Tamara W.

Dear Editor,

There is no doubt in my mind that Yoram Skolnick is a role model for all of us.

How many of us are living in our own prisons – of our own making or of the making of our circumstances – and we despair of what will be? This happens time and time again. But we need to keep in mind that if we want to leave those prisons, we have the power to do so. That power within us is the feelings of hope and courage that we can cultivate.

Our connection to G-d is not held back by where we find ourselves. Truthfully, sometimes, it is easier to feel and see G-d from the depths of our despair. But it is up to us to find Him and seek Him out.

Hashem is there; He is everywhere. But we need to take the first step to open our eyes and connect with Him.

Yoram is a model for that attitude. For him, there was no way out. He was set to spend the rest of his life in prison. He was set to never have more children or celebrate a birthday or anniversary with his wife. And yet, he lived with the complete awareness that Hashem is the only One to Whom he needs to reach out. Hashem is the only one to Whom he needs to have faith.

And when he reached that level of complete faith and belief, a miracle (that’s really what it is) led to his release. What an inspiration!

R. Weinberg

Dear Editor, Birth is a relative term. You can birth mitzos and good deeds. They are all everlasting. Birthing or adopting a child is another form of birthing eternity. Gaining eternity can come in so many ways.

Eliyahu Panim

Dear Editor, In 2022, just like in past 23 years, Senator Chuck Schumer takes pride in visiting all 62 counties in New York State. He just visited Saratoga Springs to complete his tour. These annual visits provide him with a better understanding of the needs for residents of each county. When was the last time he visited our

Make

southern border? He could view firsthand our ongoing invasion of illegal immigrants. For the second year in a row, it will exceed 2 million. Schumer could also learn from border agents about their fight to stem the smuggling of fentanyl. This drug is killing over 100,000 Americans every year. Why doesn’t Schumer travel to El Paso, Texas, and observe this crisis firsthand? Perhaps it will convince him to stop holding up fully funding completion for construction of a border wall to protect our sovereignty as a nation.

Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, NY

voice heard!

Heavy Snow in Japan is Fatal

Zürs am Arlberg avalanche had been found. One person was seriously injured, according to the report.

The avalanche impacted an Austrian ski slope on Sunday. The 10 people – who were from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bosnia, Croatia, and the USA – were seen toppled by the disaster in a video captured on a cell phone by a bystander.

Heavy snow in large swaths of Japan over the past few days has killed 17 and injured more than 90 people and left hundreds of homes without power.

Powerful winter fronts have dumped heavy snow in northern regions since last week, stranding hundreds of vehicles on highways, delaying delivery services, and causing 11 deaths by Saturday. More snowfall over the weekend brought the number of dead to 17 and injured to 93 by Monday morning, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Many of the victims had fallen while removing snow from roofs or were buried underneath thick piles of snow sliding off rooftops.

Many parts of northeastern Japan reported three times their average snowfall for the season.

Heavy snow knocked down an electric power transmission tower in Japan’s northernmost main island, leaving about 20,000 homes without power on Sunday morning. Electricity was restored in most areas later that day.

Dozens of flights and train trips were also suspended in northern Japan through Sunday, but services have since mostly resumed, according to the transportation ministry.

However, some of the 10 were able to ski to safety and did not immediately report their well-being after they were presumed missing, according to APA. In a conversation, translated to English, Hermann Fercher, the head of tourism in Lech/Zürs, called the failure to report a “mixture of shock and negligence.”

As of noon on Monday, the search had concluded satisfactorily with confidence that no other skiers were trapped on the slope. An investigation into the cause of the avalanche is expected in the following week.

Russian Millionaire Dies in India

An Avalanche Rescue

Ten people have been found alive after a terrifying avalanche in Austria.

On Monday, the Austrian Press Agency, APA, reported that the group of skiers who were feared missing after a Lech

Several high-profile Russian tycoons have died in mysterious circumstances since the war in Ukraine began. This week, Russian sausage tycoon Pavel Antov was found dead at an Indian hotel, two days after a friend died during the same trip.

Antov and his friend had celebrated a birthday at the hotel.

Antov was a well-known figure in the city of Vladimir, east of Moscow.

Last summer, he denied criticizing Russia’s war in Ukraine after a message appeared on his WhatsApp account. The millionaire’s death is the latest in a series of unexplained deaths involving Russian

16 tycoons since the start of the Russian invasion, many of whom have openly criticized the war.

Reports in Russian media said Antov, 65, had fallen from a window at the hotel in the city of Rayagada on Sunday. Another member of his Russian group, Vladimir Budanov, died at the hotel on Friday.

Superintendent Vivekananda Sharma of Odisha police said Budanov was found to have suffered a stroke, while his friend “was depressed after his death and he too died.” The Russian consul in Kolkata, Alexei Idamkin, told the Tass news agency that police did not see a “criminal element in these tragic events.”

Antov founded the Vladimir Standard meat processing plant. In 2019, Forbes estimated his fortune at more than $140 million.

Late last June, Antov appeared to react to a Russian missile attack on a residential block in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv that left a man dead and his seven-year-old daughter and her mother wounded.

A WhatsApp message on Antov’s account described how the family was pulled out of the rubble: “It’s extremely difficult to call all this anything but terror.”

The message was deleted, and Antov then posted on social media that he was a supporter of the president, a “patriot of my country,” and backed the war.

The WhatsApp message had come from someone whose opinion on the “special military operation in Ukraine” he strongly disagreed with, he insisted. It had been posted accidentally on his messenger and was a highly annoying misunderstanding, he said.

In September, the head of Russia’s oil giant Lukoil, Ravil Maganov, apparently fell from a hospital window in Moscow.

Taiwan Extends Military Service

wen said this week. The self-ruled island faces pressure from China’s military, in addition to diplomatic and trade tensions.

Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 during a civil war, is claimed by China. Since the split, the self-governed island has faced a threat of invasion by China, which has sharpened since China cut off communications with the island’s government after the 2016 election of Tsai, who is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party and seen by Beijing as pro-independence.

China’s People’s Liberation Army in particular has stepped up its military harassment of Taiwan, sending fighter planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan on a near-daily basis in recent years. In response, the island’s military actively tracks those movements, which often serves as training for its own military personnel.

The longer military service applies to men born after 2005 and will start Jan. 1, 2024. Those born before 2005 will continue to serve four months.

The CEO-turned-conservative hero had been convicted of taking bribes from big businesses including Samsung, embezzling funds from a company that he owned, and other corruption-related crimes before and during his presidency from 2008 to 2013.

He was South Korea’s first president with a business background and once symbolized the country’s economic rise.

Lee began his business career with an entry-level job at Hyundai Group’s construction arm in the mid-1960s, before he rose to CEO of 10 companies under Hyundai Group and led the group’s rapid rise at a time when South Korea’s economy grew explosively after the 1950-53 Korean War.

Lee’s corruption case erupted after his successor and fellow conservative Park Geun-hye was ousted and sent to jail over a separate 2016-17 corruption scandal. The back-to-back scandals slammed conservatives in the country and led to a deeper national divide.

Taiwan will extend its compulsory military service from four months to a year starting in 2024, President Tsai Ing-

“No one wants war,” Tsai asserted. “This is true of Taiwan’s government and people, and the global community, but peace does not come from the sky, and Taiwan is at the front lines of the expansion of authoritarianism.”

Of Taiwan’s 188,000-person military, 90% are volunteers and 10% are men doing their required four months of service.

S. Korea to Pardon Former Leader

Park, who was serving a lengthy prison term, was pardoned in December 2021, when South Korea was governed by Yoon’s liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in.

A German Double Agent

The South Korean government of President Yoon Suk Yeol announced this week that it will grant a special pardon to former President Lee Myung-bak, who was sentenced to a 17-year prison term for a range of corruption crimes.

The Justice Ministry said that Lee is among 1,373 convicts who will be pardoned Wednesday. It said it has decided to include some politicians, such as Lee, as part of efforts to promote a national unity.

Lee, 81, was released from prison temporarily in June over health concerns.

A Germany spy is now being accused of transmitting secrets to Russia.

The agent, identified at Carsten L, was working for Germany’s foreign intelligence service as a senior surveillance official and was tasked with analyzing information received through wiretaps. As part of his position, he had access to wiretap operations run by other Western countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. He is being accused of accessing secret information about the Ukraine war and forwarding it to Russian officials.

German officials are investigating whether the agent was blackmailed into committing treason.

“The accused is suspected of state treason,” prosecutors said. “In 2022, he transmitted information that he had obtained in the course of his professional

SUNDAY

MON-THU

FRIDAY

18 they said was taken in the “streets of Iran,” where there is now “more freedom for the women to choose whether they cover their hair or not” – referring to the recent protests that swept the Persian country after the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest in Tehran for not following the country’s dress code.

Iranian authorities had already restricted access to Instagram and WhatsApp – until this autumn the last remaining unfiltered social media services – and then clamped down on apps like the Google Play Store as well as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that seek to circumvent local access restrictions.

Iranians have long used VPNs to access sites blocked in Iran – even government officials including the foreign minister have Twitter accounts despite the network being blocked in the country.

Aid Orgs: We Can’t Work in Afghanistan Without Women

Several international aid organizations have temporarily suspended their

programs in Afghanistan, warning that relief work in the country could crumble without female staff. The Afghan government recently barred women from working in local and international humanitarian organizations.

barred women from attending private and public universities. Both measures were further signs that the government seems set on returning to its hardline rule of the 1990s.

The organizations Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and CARE International condemned the ban on Sunday and said that they were suspending their programs while they sought more clarity on the announcement.

heartened” by the move. The global aid organization said more than 3,000 of its staff in the country were women and warned that their exclusion could have “catastrophic consequences for the Afghan people.”

Other humanitarian groups, such as Islamic Relief, also said they would pause non-lifesaving services for the moment.

If major international relief organizations pull their support from Afghanistan because of the draconian decree against women, the country is at risk of losing billions of dollars in critical aid, funds that are crucial to propping up Afghanistan’s public services and keeping the country’s most vulnerable from the brink of famine amid an economic collapse.

The ban, first announced by the Afghan Ministry of Economy on Saturday, was the latest in a series of measures issued by the Taliban administration that have rolled back women’s rights and effectively erased women from many aspects of public life.

Last week, the Afghan government

“We cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without our female staff,” the groups said in a joint statement. “Beyond the impact on delivery of lifesaving assistance, this will affect thousands of jobs in the midst of an enormous economic crisis.”

The Norwegian Refugee Council in Kabul organization employs about 1,500 staff in Afghanistan, one-third of them women. Becky Roby, advocacy manager for the group, said they were “blindsided” by the announcement, which was delivered in a letter over the weekend.

“It has really backed us into a corner,” she said.

The International Rescue Committee also said it was suspending services and that it was “dismayed and dis-

In response to criticism from Western donors after the ban was announced, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban administration, said on Twitter on Sunday that “all those institutions wanting to operate in Afghanistan are obliged to comply with the rules and regulations of our country.”

He added: “We do not allow anyone to talk rubbish or make threats regarding the decisions of our leaders under the title of Humanitarian aid.”

A hunger crisis looms over Afghanistan, with more than six million people facing famine-like levels of food insecurity.

N. Korean

Drones

Reach Border

der into South Korean airspace on Monday, provoking military action by Seoul at a time of rising tensions on the peninsula.

After the drones breached the border, the South Korean military scrambled fighter jets to try to shoot them down and sent its own surveillance drones into the North’s airspace. It also banned commercial airplanes from taking off at two international airports around Seoul for about an hour.

North Korea has a history of sending surveillance drones into South Korean airspace, with several detected since 2014. But it is rare for the South to respond to their intrusion by dispatching warplanes.

Tensions have hit new heights this year on the Korean Peninsula, as the North stepped up its nuclear program and fired a record number of missiles The United States and its allies South Korea and Japan have followed by strength-

ening their joint military drills.

When the North Korean drones crossed over the border on Monday just west of Seoul, the South Korean military broadcast warnings, later firing warning shots from war planes and scrambling attack helicopters into the air. The South also said its aircraft were on a mission to “shoot down” the North Korean drones, although it did not reveal whether any of them were taken out.

South Korea also dispatched both

manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft near and beyond the inter-Korean border, the country’s military said. The South Korean aircraft took pictures of North Korean military facilities and engaged in other surveillance activities, it said.

“This is clearly an act of provocation in which the North violated our territorial airspace,” the South Korean military said in a statement.

Defense officials confirmed that one of the South Korean military planes — a KA-1 light attack aircraft — crashed shortly after taking off from an airbase east of Seoul. Its two pilots safely ejected from their plane.

It was not clear whether the drones detected Monday were on surveillance missions or were armed with weapons.

(© The New York Times)

3 Kurds Killed in Paris

On Friday, a 69-year-old man set out to kill migrants or foreigners in the capital of France. He killed three Kurds outside a Kurdish cultural center and then wounded three others. He was then disarmed and subdued by one of the injured victims.

The murderer was taken by police to a psychiatric center. If he is released from psychiatric care, he faces potential charges of racially motivated murder, attempted murder, and arms violations.

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Sunday that the suspect told investigators that a 2016 burglary at his home marked a turning point for him, sparking what he called a “hatred toward foreigners that became completely pathological.”

24 The shooting in a bustling Parisian neighborhood shook and angered the Kurdish community, and stirred up concerns about hate crimes at a time when far-right voices have gained prominence in France and around Europe.

On Saturday, members of France’s Kurdish community and anti-racism activists joined together in a demonstration of mourning and anger. The gathering was largely peaceful, with marchers holding portraits of the victims.

Some youths threw objects and set a few cars and garbage bins on fire, and police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. A spokesperson for the Kurdish Democratic Council in France said the violence began after some people drove by waving a Turkish flag. Some of the marchers carried flags of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

Turkey’s army has long been battling against Kurdish militants affiliated with the banned PKK in southeast Turkey as well as in northern Iraq. The U.S. views PKK as a terrorist organization. Turkey’s military also recently launched a series of strikes from the air and with artillery against Syrian Kurdish militant targets in northern Syria.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday that the violence in

the Paris protests was a result of lenience toward the PKK.

“The snake France fed is now biting them. Everyone should now see the real face of this terror organization,” Akar said.

State jihadist group for the deadly double bombing attack in Jerusalem last month.

In the attack on November 23, Eslam Froukh, 26, allegedly set off two bombs at two bus stops near entrances to the capital. The attacks killed two people –16-year-old Aryeh Schupak and 50-yearold Tadese Tashume Ben Ma’ada – and wounded over 20 others.

This week, Lillian presented her letter of credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

After the ceremony at Erdogan’s massive presidential palace in Ankara – which included Israel’s Hatikvah national anthem played by a Turkish honor guard – Lillian expressed her hope that bilateral ties would continue to expand.

Bus Stop Bomber Arrested

According to the Shin Bet, Froukh, an Israeli resident of Kafr ‘Aqab in East Jerusalem who lived much of the time in the Ramallah area, committed the attack because of his affiliation with Islamic State.

According to the agency, Froukh, a mechanical engineer by trade, acted alone and taught himself how to make the bombs used in the attack, using guides from the internet. The terrorist had tried to detonate another bomb as security and medical forces treated the victims at the scene of the second attack but ran into technical issues and did not end up planting it.

“We all expect that the process of growing closer diplomatically between Israel and Turkey will become stronger, will broaden and will spread over many areas of cooperation,” she said.

On Tuesday, security forces arrested an Arab Israeli man affiliated with the Islamic

In the days after the attack, security forces near the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim found several items apparently used by the terrorist in the attack, including a motorized scooter, a helmet, spare clothes — used before, during, and after the attack — and five pipe bombs. These items were used to identify the terrorist, whom they arrested a few days later.

In another area of the West Bank, near Ramallah, security forces located the site where Froukh allegedly tested his explosive devices. The Shin Bet said troops seized explosive materials, a makeshift submachine gun and a primed bomb similar to the ones used in the Jerusalem attack.

Outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailed the arrest of Froukh, saying Israel would reach “any terrorist or terror group.”

“As we promised, we got to him. Israel will reach any terrorist who harms its citizens and will deal with them with the full severity of the law,” he asserted.

Israel’s New Envoy to Turkey

After four years of being vacant, the post of envoy to Turkey is being filled by Irit Lillian, who had played a key role in Israeli-Turkish reconciliation. She had been Israel’s charge d’affaires in Ankara since February 2021, as both sides moved slowly but steadily toward restoring full diplomatic relations.

In May 2018, Turkey recalled its ambassador and asked Israel’s envoy to leave in protest of Israel’s response to violent rioting on the Gaza border, in which dozens of Palestinians were killed.

In August of this year, Israel and Turkey announced the full renewal of diplomatic ties after two years of slow reconciliation, which picked up pace noticeably with mutual visits by senior officials.

“From the beginning, it was clear that we were building a process in which we agree to disagree,” Lillian, who has previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Bulgaria and Australia, told The Times of Israel during an August interview. “We are going into proper, positive bilateral relations that have a wide range of activities, but we know that there are points we don’t agree on,” she said. “We know we are not going into a perfect marriage.”

Turkey’s incoming ambassador to Israel, Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, presented a copy of his letter of credence at the beginning of the month in Jerusalem, allowing him to start working. He is expected to present the original to President Isaac Herzog on January 11, whereupon he can officially take up the position.

Torunlar is a veteran diplomat who previously served as Turkey’s consul general in Jerusalem — effectively its ambassador to the Palestinians — and was most recently ambassador to India.

Israel was a longtime regional ally of Turkey before relations began to sour after Erdogan’s election.

Tensions came to a head during a 2010 Israeli commando raid on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara, part of a blockade-busting flotilla, that left 10 Turkish

28 offense from serving as a minister to apply only to those serving active jail sentences. Deri, convicted of tax offenses in February, was sentenced to a conditional jail term and a financial penalty.

29, 2022

The second permits more than one minister to be appointed to a ministry, enabling Smotrich to take charge of the Civil Administration, which operates under the Defense Ministry and is responsible for construction and other bureaucratic matters in Area C, which comprises 60% of Judea and Samaria, or the West Bank.

Smotrich and Deri insisted the amendment pass before the new government was sworn in, currently scheduled for Thursday.

The Yesh Atid Party, soon to be in the opposition, stated, “Deri’s law is further proof of Netanyahu’s embarrassing weakness in the face of his extremist partners.”

Likud MK Shlomo Karhi, who headed the special committee that debated the law, rejected the criticism, saying, “We are laying the groundwork for the new government, and we will bring the State of Israel to the dawn of a new day.”

Likud MK Yariv Levin announced he was stepping down as Speaker of the Knesset on Tuesday in anticipation of being appointed Minister of Justice in the new government. Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu will appoint a new speaker from his Likud Party. (JNS)

Israel’s Economy is Doing Great

The publication cited Israel’s well-performing economy as one of the “pleasant surprises” in 2022 “despite political chaos” wrought by the government’s collapse, which took Israelis to the polls for a fifth time in less than four years.

The Economist’s ranking is based on an overall score measured by five economic and financial indicators: gross domestic debt (GDP), inflation, inflation breadth, stock market performance, and government debt.

Israel’s economy shared the fourth place with Spain and was ranked after Ireland among the 34 wealthy OECD countries cited in the survey. Greece scored the top spot followed by Portugal in second place, while Latvia and Estonia came at the bottom of the list. Japan, France, and Italy made it into the top 10. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy, which grew at a rate of 0.2%, ranked 20th, and Germany, “despite political stability,” is in 30th place.

Countries, including Spain and Israel, that are not dependent on oil and gas delivery from Russia fared better than average, the survey noted

Shin Bet Foils Bomb Plot

The Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency announced on Monday that it thwarted a Palestinian terrorist bomb plot and a separate suicide bombing targeting areas inside Green Line Israel, involving operatives from Judea and Samaria who were being directed by handlers from the Gaza Strip.

A working bomb hidden in a fire extinguisher was seized.

According to the Shin Bet, a joint investigation with the Israel Defense Forces saw the plot foiled on Dec. 14, adding that the Popular Resistance Committees directed it together with Shuhada Al-Aqsa, both of them terrorist organizations based in the Gaza Strip.

Four suspected terror operatives from Judea and Samaria are under arrest, the Shin Bet said.

Israel is the fourth best-performing economy in 2022 among a list of OECD countries, according to a ranking compiled by The Economist.

“Those reliant on Vladimir Putin for fuel have truly suffered,” The Economist noted. “In Latvia, average consumer prices have risen by a fifth.”

Israel’s economy is projected to have grown at a rate of 6.3% in 2022, according to Finance Ministry estimates, following its even faster expansion of 8.1% in 2021, the year of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. That compares with projected GDP growth of 3% among world economies for this year, according to an OECD outlook.

Israeli exports, which comprise about 30% of the country’s economic activity, are expected to have increased by more than 10% to record highs of between $160 billion and $165 billion in 2022, according to a conservative estimate published on Sunday by the Economy Ministry’s Foreign Trade Administration (FTA).

Inflation in Israel for the last 12 months has climbed above the upper limit of the target range of 1% to 3% and stands at 5.3%, which is high, although it is significantly lower than in most developed countries.

Looking ahead to 2023, the Finance Ministry earlier this month cut its growth outlook for the country’s economy from 3.5% to 3%, citing a contraction in consumer spending and a slowdown in the global economy, which is expected to grow at a rate of about 2.2%.

The Israeli security operation focused on known terrorist operatives in the Strip headed by Ahmad Fathi Hajaj, an explosives expert who lives in Jabalia in northern Gaza, the agency said.

The thwarting of the plot is “part of an ongoing campaign that the Shin Bet together with the IDF and the Israel Police are conducting, to foil terrorism in Israel while using a range of techniques and tools,” the Shin Bet said.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, “Following an operation that lasted several weeks, the security forces have arrested terrorists in Judea and Samaria who were planning to carry out a large-scale bomb attack in Israel, assisted by terrorist organizations from the Gaza Strip. The war against terrorists and their cells continues on a daily basis in all sectors. The security forces are constantly working to thwart all attempts to attack us.” (JNS)

Zelenskyy Takes Home Big $$

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine delivered an emotional wartime appeal to a joint meeting of Congress last Wednesday night, telling Americans that

30 “your money is not charity” and vowing that his people would eventually secure an improbable victory against Russia on behalf of all free nations.

“Against all odds and doom-andgloom scenarios, Ukraine did not fall,” Zelenskyy said in halting but forceful English from the dais in the House chamber, where he was greeted with extended applause from lawmakers.

charity. “It’s an investment,” he said.

Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington — kept secret until the eve of his arrival for security reasons — was a dramatic show of confidence by Ukraine’s leader, who had not left his country since Putin began his assault 300 days ago.

His speech at the Capitol capped a remarkable day of urgent, personal diplomacy that began with more than two hours of closed-door meetings with President Joe Biden at the White House, where both men reaffirmed their determination to defend Ukraine against Russian forces, which invaded in February.

Zelenskyy warned that his country was digging in for a long, cold winter of war and had little hope of securing a just peace with the “terrorists” who are battering his people.

nearly $2 billion in new arms and equipment — as well as a likely commitment from Congress for nearly $50 billion in additional aid next year.

And while Zelenskyy did not get everything on his wish list, John Kirby, a National Security Council spokesperson, said Thursday that the United States was committed to providing the equipment that Ukraine needs, although he declined to provide specifics.

He added that President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy did not spend a majority of their meeting going over each of Ukraine’s requests. The discussion was not “driven by a list of additional capabilities. There was a much broader, deeper discussion about the situation in Ukraine and what the future portends,” he said.

bus as recently as this year, according to a report in City Journal.

The policy reportedly reflected the school’s desire for “equal outcomes for every student, without exception.”

Brandon Kosatka, the director of student services, reportedly told Shawna Yashar, a TJ parent, that he and Bonitatibus agreed to underplay the awards because they didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the students who weren’t recognized.

“We want to recognize students for who they are as individuals, not focus on their achievements,” Kosatka told Yashar, according to the City Journal report. The school did not inform students about their awards for the past few years.

In blunt terms, Zelenskyy pleaded for more military assistance from the lawmakers, who are poised to approve $45 billion in additional aid by the end of the week, bringing the total over a year to nearly $100 billion. His message: Your support has kept President Vladimir Putin of Russia from overrunning our country. Now keep it coming.

“We have artillery, yes, thank you,” he said. “We have it. Is it enough? Honestly, not really.” The money, he added, was not

For Biden, the highly orchestrated visit is an opportunity to remind Americans why he has committed the United States’ Treasury to defending the borders of a country a continent away.

There remains widespread bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for financially supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the majority of Republicans have rallied behind the aid.

After his 10-hour dash to the nation’s capital last week, Zelenskyy left with

Zelenskyy’s trip was a vivid demonstration of his strategy for wooing and pressuring allies. He mixed appreciation for the aid provided by the United States with growing demands for weaponry, knowing that he will not get all of what he wants but believing the combination of his continued requests and shifts on the battlefield will lead Washington to recalibrate its own assessments of what systems Ukraine can receive without risking a dangerous escalation with Russia.

In some respects, the Biden administration’s acceptance of risk has increased as the war has gone on. Some weapons systems that were off the table early in the war have since been approved and either are in the fight or on the way. (© The New York Times)

School Withholds Awards in Name of Equity

Being named a National Merit Scholar means that a student scored in the top 3% nationwide on the PSAT. It’s a major boost to a student’s college applications and ability to compete for lucrative scholarships.

Yashar was the parent who first learned about the withholdings, discovering this fall that her teenage son was recognized as a National Merit Scholar in fall 2021, according to the report.

However, Bonitatibus didn’t distribute the notices to families last year, and didn’t alert the students of their commendations this year until mid-November, well after the early application deadlines for certain elite universities.

Another former student, who wasn’t named, reportedly said that the principal never told his parents or made a public announcement that he won the award. This student learned he was named a National Merit Scholar through a random email from the school to a school-district email account that students rarely check.

School systems typically announce the honored students either publicly or by throwing them a party, according to the report. This year, the report said teachers unceremoniously delivered the certificate to the 240 students recognized while they were sitting at their desks.

Bonitatibus has a record of pushing equity-based policies at TJ.

In an effort to maintain that all students are “equal,” a top-rated high school in Alexandria, Virginia, withheld from notifying students about their National Merit Scholar awards.

At least 1,200 students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, have been affected by a policy that has been carried out by Principal Ann Bonitati-

During the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, she emailed students and parents urging them to consider “the privileges you hold that others may not.” A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the prestigious school had altered its admissions rules to restrict the number of Asian Americans in a bid for “racial diversity.”

National Merit’s only notice about the commendation is sent to the schools, and it lets schools decide how to deliver the news to students.

32 TJ was the top-ranked as the nation’s best high school in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report.

Santos: “I Embellished”

fective. I will be good.”

The initial report found that Santos embellished details about his alleged employment history with several Wall Street firms after he wrote in his campaign biography that he worked with Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. However, both companies confirmed to multiple outlets that Santos had no employment history with them.

Instead, Santos told the New York Post that he worked for a company called Link Bridge that did business with the two financial firms, conceding he “never worked directly” for them and chalking it up to a “poor choice of words.”

“I will be clearer about that,” he said. “It was stated poorly.”

mother was Jewish, and that his grandparents had escaped the Nazis. But a peek into his lineage says otherwise. Santos is Catholic. He said that his grandmother used to tell stories about being Jewish before converting to Catholicism.

“I never claimed to be Jewish,” Santos said. “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background I said I was ‘Jew-ish.’”

Despite the wave of “embellishments,” Santos insists he is fit for office in January.

On Monday, the Sheriff’s Office reported a fourth attack at a PSE substation in Kapowsin. The attack occurred on Sunday evening. Damages were said to have caused a fire.

Law enforcement sources had received a memo from the FBI in early December that warned them of planned attacks against Pacific Northwest substations.

After Rep.-elect George Santos (RNY) won the election for New York’s 3rd congressional district over Robert Zimmerman in November, the New York Times alleged that parts of his resume were fabricated.

Now, Santos is admitting that he may have “embellished” his education and work experience.

“My sins here are embellishing my resume. I’m sorry,” Santos told the New York Post. “I am not a criminal. This [controversy] will not deter me from having good legislative success. I will be ef-

Santos also came under fire for lying about his educational history after he initially claimed he earned degrees in finance and economics from New York University and Baruch College. However, the congressman-elect later confirmed he never graduated from any college.

“I didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning. I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume,” he said. “I own up to that … We do stupid things in life.”

Santos also said on the campaign trail that he had Jewish ancestry, that his

“I campaigned talking about the people’s concerns, not my resume,” Santos said. “I intend to deliver on the promises I made during the campaign – fighting crime, fighting to lower education, improving education.”

Power Grids Vandalized in WA

Three weeks ago, a North Carolina power grid was vandalized, leaving around 45,000 people in Moore County without power. Two of the vandalized substations were damaged by gunfire. The attacks came a week after the Department of Homeland Security reupped a January report on the increasing likelihood of attacks on the country’s electrical power grid.

$1.7 Trillion Spending Package

Four Washington state electrical facilities were vandalized on Sunday. Damages caused power outages in Graham, Kapowsin, and Puyallup, affecting more than 14,000 customers.

Police are investigating the matter and said Monday morning that there are no suspects in custody at this time and that power has been restored to most homes.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that vandalism started early Sunday morning. Police responded to a 5:36 a.m. call about a burglary at a Tacoma power substation near Frederickson and found nothing taken but discovered damaged equipment and a power outage in the surrounding area.

A second call came in that morning alerting officers of another burglary at a different Tacoma power substation near Spanaway, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Officers found a similar situation: nothing was stolen, but property was damaged and an outage was caused.

In the late morning, the Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a power outage that occurred earlier that morning at a Puget Sound Energy (PSE) facility that had been broken into and also vandalized.

Congress on Friday cleared a roughly $1.7 trillion government funding package that would provide significant increases to national security and domestic spending and billions of dollars to aid Ukraine, sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

The bill was the last major legislative accomplishment of the 117th Congress and set aside $858 billion in funds for the military that Republicans pushed for and more than $772 billion for the education, health and veterans programs Democrats have championed. The measure is the second major government funding bill passed during the Biden administration and served as the final opportunity for congressional Democrats to shape the federal budget while they retain control of both chambers.

On nearly party lines, the House approved the more than 4,000-page bill by a vote of 225-201, with one lawmaker voting present, a day after it was shepherded through the Senate. It concluded a scramble driven by the threat of both a government shutdown and a winter storm, a desire to enact unfinished legislation before the start of divided government next month, and a

surprise appearance in Washington this week by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who urged continued investment in his country’s fight against Russian invasion.

Biden, who is expected to sign the measure in the coming days, said that it “advances key priorities for our country and caps off a year of historic bipartisan progress for the American people.”

To ensure that the government does not run out of funds and shut down at

the end of Friday as the legislation is processed, the House also approved a oneweek stopgap bill.

“We have a big bill here because we have big needs for our country,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said Friday, noting that it was most likely her last speech on the House floor as speaker.

The legislation guarantees that the government will remain open through the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30.

It unlocks key funding accounted for in bipartisan legislation approved earlier this session, including money previously set aside in the infrastructure law and the industrial policy law. The package also sets aside more than $15 billion for lawmakers to direct money to over 7,200 community projects in their districts and states. (© The New York Times)

Americans Had to Spend More This Season

Americans increased their spending during this year’s holiday season, as inflation forced consumers to shell out more for retail goods and dining experiences.

U.S. retail sales increased 7.6% during the period of November 1 to December 24, compared to the same time last year, according to the Mastercard Spending Pulse, released this week. The index tracks in-store and online retail sales, excluding automotive sales, across all forms of payment and is not adjusted for inflation.

Inflation likely accounts for much of the year-over-year rise in holiday spending.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation — rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

“Consumers and retailers navigated the season well, displaying resilience amid increasing economic pressures,” Michelle Meyer, North America Chief Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, pointed out.

According to Mastercard, consumers diversified their spending to cope with higher prices and prioritized dining out and other experiences. Restaurant sales grew more than 15% compared to the same period last year.

American shoppers also displayed a growing preference for shopping online, with online sales growing 10.6% yearover-year and ecommerce making up 21.6% of total retail sales, up from 20.9% in 2021.

A deadly blizzard hit western New York over the weekend, with a least 27 people dead and thousands shivering in their homes without

“We

of, the light at the end of the tunnel,” Mark C. Poloncarz,

36 the Erie County executive, said at a news conference on Monday morning. “But this is not the end yet. We are not there.”

Poloncarz said that officials in Erie County, which includes Buffalo, had identified 12 more deaths since Sunday that they had linked to the storm. The deaths included people found trapped in their cars and those who had “cardiac-related events” while removing snow from outside homes and businesses.

work for Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative.

big. That’s because mom, dad, and baby celebrate the same day as their birthday.

Parents Cassidy and Dylan Scott welcomed their firstborn on Sunday, December 18, which also happens to be their shared birthday.

adapted to remain hidden.”

How do these frogs turn this invisibleness on and off? While asleep, the frogs concentrate, or “hide,” nearly 90% of their red blood cells in their liver, researchers say.

At least one death in Niagara County was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.

Strong winds took down power lines in the central, eastern and northern United States, and the weather upended holiday travel plans for much of last week. In Maine, more than 20,000 homes and businesses remained without power on Monday morning, according to the utility company’s maps.

Snow continued to fall through Monday, although there was less wind. Still, authorities begged residents to stay indoors and not to drive on the roads.

The Weather Service said on Monday that more than 49 inches of snow was recorded over three days at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, the highest total in Erie County. Jefferson County received between 22 and 41 inches of snow, Niagara County recorded up to 24 inches of snow, and Lewis County saw up to 30 inches of snow over the same time period, according to the Weather Service.

“Serial” Star Hired by University

Adnan Syed, who was freed in September after he spent 23 years in prison fighting a murder conviction that was chronicled in the hit podcast “Serial,” has been hired by Georgetown University as an associate for an organization whose work mirrors the efforts that led to his release, the university has announced.

Syed, the subject of the 2014 podcast and pop-culture sensation that raised questions about whether he had received a fair trial after being convicted of strangling his high school classmate and onetime girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, will

Syed, who was 17 at the time of Lee’s death in Baltimore, has steadfastly maintained his innocence.

The university said Syed, now 41, will help support programs at the organization, such as a class in which students reinvestigate wrongful convictions and seek to “bring innocent people home” by creating short documentaries about their findings. The program, founded in 2016, “brings together leading scholars, practitioners, students and those affected by the criminal justice system to tackle the problem of mass incarceration,” according to its website.

Georgetown University, which is in Washington, said that in the year leading up to his release, Syed was enrolled in the university’s bachelor of liberal arts program at the Maryland prison where he was incarcerated.

“To go from prison to being a Georgetown student and then to actually be on campus on a pathway to work for Georgetown at the Prisons and Justice Initiative, it’s a full circle moment,” Syed said in a statement. “PJI changed my life. It changed my family’s life. Hopefully I can have the same kind of impact on others.”

He added that he hoped to continue his education at Georgetown and go to law school.

In October, prosecutors in Baltimore dropped the charges against Syed after DNA testing on items that had never been fully examined proved Syed’s innocence, officials said.

Lee’s family filed an appeal with the Maryland Court of Special Appeals after prosecutors dropped the charges.

On November 4, the court said in an order that the appeal could be heard in court in February. (© The New York Times)

“This is an exciting time for any family, but it’s extra special for this family because they all share the same birthday,” the hospital’s Facebook page says.

“That’s right! On Sunday, Dec. 18, a chance that’s one in 133,000 occurred when their daughter Lennon was born,” the Alabama hospital continued. “She held on until 12:30 a.m., just in time for the celebration. Please join us in wishing this sweet family a very happy birthday.”

The odds of sharing a birthday with one parent is 1 in 365. The odds of these parents ever forgetting their child’s birthday?

Probably zero.

Glass Frogs

Because they have transparent skin and other tissues, it’s the blood circulating through their bodies that would otherwise give them away. The frogs also shrink and pack together most of their internal organs, Yao said.

For most other frogs, concentrating their blood for such a long time would lead to death. For these frogs, it’s a matter of life.

Only a few animals, mostly ocean dwellers, are naturally transparent, said Oxford University biologist Richard White, who was not involved in the study. “Transparency is super rare in nature, and in land animals, it’s essentially unheard of outside of the glass frog,” White said.

As clear as day.

Messi Moment

Birthday Boom

Birthdays are a big day in the Scott family. Actually, it’s one day that’s really

Scientists are now discovering why some frogs have the ability to appear transparent.

These special frogs are generally found in South and Central America. During the day, they sleep hanging underneath tree leaves. Because they are transparent, they don’t cast shadows and are almost invisible to predators.

But at night, they change color and look more opaque, with reddish-brown hues. It is at those times that they search for insects to eat.

“When they’re transparent, it’s for their safety,” noted Junjie Yao, a Duke University biomedical engineer and study co-author. When they’re awake, they can actively evade predators, but when they’re sleeping and most vulnerable, “they have

Lionel Messi is a real winner. No, we’re not referring to his record-breaking World Cup win last week. The Argentinian soccer player set another record last Tuesday after his Instagram post celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win became the most-liked on the platform.

Messi’s Instagram accomplishment breaks a nearly four-year-old record held by a photo of an egg. His post racked up more than 65 million likes in just a few days.

The previous record-holder was a stock image of an egg on a white background with 55.7 million likes, posted by the account @world_record_egg in January 2019 in an intentional bid to become the most-liked Instagram post of all time.

“Champions of the world! So many times, I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall, I can’t believe it,” Messi, 35, wrote alongside the post that included 10 photos of him hoisting the trophy aloft and celebrating with his team mates.

“Thank you so much to my family, to

all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united, we are able to achieve what we aim.

“The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians... We did it!”

Just one more record for this champion.

It is unclear why it took so long for it to be returned to the facility.

“Some of the information in this volume may be slightly outdated,” the library said in a comment on the post.

You think?

Bat Attack

“That would really help in these situations where we continue to see these strange weather patterns come through,” she said. “We could really use more space to rehabilitate the bats.”

We hope they won’t be right “bat.”

You Win Some, You Lose Some

printed before the quarter-finals.

“We had a load of blank football shirts that we bought a couple of years ago, which we had not done a great deal with, so I decided to take a gamble on the crest of the wave England were riding and get some shirts printed in anticipation of success,” Baxter, 46, explained.

But Baxter’s gamble went south, when England lost to France, 2-1.

Better Late Than Never

Never be scared to return late library books. Librarians are always ready to receive them with open arms.

That’s what a headteacher of a local school in Cheshire, England, found out last week. He had returned the book on the Dewey decimal system a bit late – almost five decades late.

The Nantwich Library said in a Facebook post that the book, Introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification for British Schools, was checked out in late 1972 and had been due back January 30, 1973.

It was returned to the library last week.

As temperatures in Texas plunged into freezing digits last week, hundreds of bats felt the frigid air.

Mexican free-tailed bats had been hanging from under Waugh Bridge in Houston when hundreds of them plunged to the pavement after going into hypothermic shock during the city’s recent cold snap, according to wildlife rescuers.

The rescuers went to bat for the winged animals and resuscitated them by administering fluids and keeping them warm in incubators.

The Houston Humane Society rescued scores of bats from beneath the bridge, along with another group of bats elsewhere in the Houston area that also went into hypothermic shock, said center director Mary Warwick. She said some were recuperating in dog kennels in the attic of her home. They won’t be sheltered there long. Nearly 700 of the estimated 1,500 rescued bats are set to be released back into the wild on Wednesday.

The humane society is now working to raise money for facility upgrades that would include a bat room, Warwick added.

Karl Baxter loves soccer, and he is a huge fan of England’s Three Lions team. So much so, that the businessman bet big that his team would win the World Cup.

Baxter had t-shirts with the words, “England, Cup Winners 2022, It’s Finally Home,” and “The Day It Came Home,” emblazoned on the shirts. He had them

“Well, over and above the shirts we have, as an England fan, I am absolutely gutted we went out in the way we did,” the managing director of Wholesale Clearance UK said.

What to do with all that losing merchandise?

In a message to customers on the website, Baxter wrote, “We have reduced the price of these unique items as we certainly won’t be getting any more.

“So wear it with pride, add it to your collection, use it to clean the windows... we don’t know.”

The father of three added that while the cost of making the shirts wasn’t too expensive, and he has already sold a few, there are still “some more to get rid of.”

The shirts are now being sold for $10. That’s a lot of money for a shmatteh.

Around the Community

Talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s Mesivta Chaim Shlomo and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid rejoicing at hadlakas ner Chanukah last week

Photos by Naftoli Goldgrab

BY5T Chanukah Extravaganza Brings the Light

Did you join the Chanukah fun at Bais Yaakov of the Five Towns? On Thursday, December 22, 2022, the fourth day of Chanukah, BY5T hosted an exciting Chanukah Extravaganza in their beautiful school building on Frost Avenue. The fun family activities were open to the entire community free of charge. Exciting activities included a Moon Bounce, Chanukah arts-andcrafts, candle making, candy dreidels, doughnut decorating, and more. Children and parents alike had a wonderful time, and everyone left with a personalized bag filled with their prizes and crafts.

BY5T brought Chanukah joy and light to all who attended!

Chanukah at SKA

By Rosie Ash and Arielle Rosman

Chanukah at SKA was an absolute blast! It is always a highlight of the school year, and this Chanukah was no exception.

SKA’s Chanukah programming kicked off on Monday, December 19, with breakfasts at teachers’ homes. Each faculty member who hosted prepared a delicious breakfast with a whole array of foods for students to enjoy. Some of the options included yogurt parfaits, bagels, donuts, pancakes and more. It was such an amazing opportunity for students to connect with teachers outside of a school setting.

The Chanukah spirit continued into Tuesday where the day began with sufganiyot decorating sponsored by the SKA Student Council. With Chanukah music

For information on BY5T, please contact: 516-500-BY5T or visit www.BY5T.org.

blasting, the students decorated their delicious donuts with toppings such as frosting, custard and sprinkles. The day continued with the annual school Chanukah Chagiga and a Silent DJ! The students enjoyed singing and dancing to the music that was playing only in their ears.

On Wednesday, each grade participated in a special chesed which not only lit up their days but those of the recipients as well. Whether it was by collecting and wrapping presents for JCCRP, having a Chagigah with Otsar, packing clothing for Yad Leah, or doing an art project with children in Gymnasia, each SKA student went home feeling that they made a difference in someone else’s life and were so grateful to be able to spread the light of Chanukah.

SKA’s students and teachers all entered the SKA building on Thursday su-

Netzach Honor Roll

Mesivta Netzach HaTorah recognized fourteen students who achieved being named to the Honor Roll. The Honor Roll is for students that achieve an average of 90% across all General Studies classes. Honor Roll students received a token of recognition from the Mesivta in the form of a gift card. Netzach is proud of the accomplishments of these talmidim and wishes them continued success!

Pictured: 9th Grade: Rummie Friedman, Yosef Ross. 10th Grade: Mordechai Eberstark, Duvie Wechter, Daniel Iskowitz. 11th Grade: Yechiel Bertram, Elchanan Abramov, Yehuda Horowitz, Avi Gluck, Yerachmiel Rothman. 12th Grade: Menachem Koschitzki, Yosef Friedlander, Zev Friedman, Yehuda Levin.

per excited for SKA’s annual Chanukah auction! Since the funds raised always go to tzedakah, this has always been a very popular event, and bidding is friendly by fierce. Emceed by Rabbi Zak, all the students anxiously waited as the prizes were called out to see if they were the winners. Prizes this year included a Shabbos meal by Rabbi and Mrs. Kaminetsky, an ice cream party with Mrs. Bindiger, challah bake with Mrs. Lifshitz, and so much more! The school also hosted a lovely Chinuch Luncheon to show appreciation to SKA faculty and staff.

Throughout the week, each grade had their own after school Chanukah party hosted either at a student or teacher’s house. The students enjoyed various foods, games, and divrei Torah and had such a fun time. The special ruchniyot of Chanukah was felt every day with

shiurim for alumnae and mothers while SKA’s student initiative SPARKS, SKA’s Beit Midrash Fellows and student contributors shared divrei Torahs, halachot, stories and suggestions for bringing light into the darkness with the Learning By The Lights each evening of Chanukah.

Chanukah at SKA concluded on Friday with the most delicious, hot, piping latkes. What a way to end Chanukah 2022 in SKA. Thank you to all who made this the most special Chanukah yet!

The Jewish Home

On Chanukah, the children at HALB Lev Chana were divided into four different groups, with each group using different manipulatives to create four different types of chanukiyot

MTA Freshman Shabbaton

On a recent Shabbos, the ninth grade talmidim at MTA and their rebbeim headed to the Hudson Valley Resort for a grade Shabbaton. Starting with a trip to Laser One for some laser tag and arcade games on Thursday night, the Shabbaton was filled with fun as well as inspiration over a beautiful Shabbos. Friday saw activities

like Escape the Lobby and football in the snow. When Shabbos arrived, the talmidim and rebbeim ushered in Shabbos with a spirited Kabbalas Shabbos, setting the tone for an uplifting Shabbos experience. The Shabbaton culminated with a lively melave malka and then it was time to return home inspired and recharged for the week ahead.

Rep. Meng Secures Millions Beneficial To The U.S.-Israel Relationship and Jewish Community

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), New York’s senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced last week that she helped secure millions for several projects and programs that are crucial to the U.S.-Israel relationship and the Jewish community.

These critical projects and programs were included in the new government spending package for fiscal year 2023, which was passed by the House after being approved by the Senate on Thursday. The legislation is now expected to be signed into law by President Biden. The items that Meng helped obtain include:

1. An unprecedented $305 million for the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, an increase of $55 million.

This $55 million boost will ensure that more synagogues and Jewish community centers will be able to benefit from this crucial initiative. The money can be spent on target-hardening and other physical security enhancements such as barriers, gates, safety gear, surveillance equipment, and other safety

measures to help guard against threats and attacks.

2. $500 million for U.S.-Israel missile defense programs.

Congresswoman Meng led the effort to secure $500 million for the continued funding of the Iron Dome, Arrow-3, and David’s Sling missile defense systems. These programs are essential to the safety and security of Israel. Prioritizing and ensuring robust funding for these programs is necessary to address the evolving threats posed by Israeli adversaries, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran – all of which are developing more advanced short, medium, and long-range rocket and missile capabilities.

3. $3.3 billion in security assistance to Israel, as agreed to in the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding.

This critical funding, with no added political conditions, reflects the strong bipartisan support for Israel’s security in Congress.

4. $50 million for the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA).

Congresswoman Meng led the effort

to secure $50 million for MEPPA to advance peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians. MEPPA programs promote economic cooperation, people-to-people peacebuilding programs, and advance shared community building, peaceful coexistence, dialogue, and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

5. An increase of $500,000 for the Office of the Ambassador for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism.

Congresswoman Meng led the effort to secure $1.5 million for the Office of the Ambassador for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism to ensure that Deborah Lipstadt, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, is able to continue her important work combating the rise in antisemitism, globally.

6. $72.5 million for U.S.-Israel counter-drone and anti-tunneling cooperation.

The work between the U.S. and Israel on these issues is critical to counter the rise of Iranian drone threats and the constant threat of tunnels from Hezbollah and Hamas.

7. $1 million for Met Council to support their efforts to provide kosher food to and services to seniors.

8. Language urging U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to accelerate its efforts to include more kosher food as part of federal nutrition programs.

9. $8.5 million for the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program, which provides care and services to Holocaust survivors in the United States.

“Fighting for the Jewish community and ensuring the safety and security of our ally Israel continues to be key priorities of mine in Congress, and I’m proud to once again deliver important funding for these crucial efforts,” said Congresswoman Meng, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. “I am particularly pleased to have obtained millions to help address the disgusting increase in anti-Semitism, and initiatives that seek to combat these despicable acts of hate. I thank my colleagues for supporting all the critical funding I secured and look forward to keeping up the fight and obtaining even more money in the future.”

At the Aish Kodesh Motzei Shabbos dor l’dor learning program with Rav Moshe Weinberger on Chanukah

Chanukah fun at HALB

Rav Yaakov Feitman speaking at a Chanukah mesiba at Yeshiva Mercaz HaTorah of Belle Harbor. To his left is the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Zev Dicker

Rav Yaakov Feitman lighting the Menorah at Zos Chanukah in his shul

Yona Kotkes lighting the menorah in Rav Aaron Wahl’s class at Yeshiva Darchei Torah

BACH of Long Beach Joins with Police Departments to Deliver Joy

In the spirit of the holiday season, the BACH Jewish Center in Long Beach partnered with the Long Beach Police department and Long Beach Police Foundation to deliver holiday toys and care packages to hospital-bound children at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside. The drop-off, which happened during the holiday season, came in response to the growing number of pediatric RSV cases in local hospitals during this holiday season.

The BACH’s Rabbi Benny Berlin joined Long Beach Police Department Commissioner Ronald Walsh and officers from the department to hand-deliver the toys and care packages to the hospital on December 22. The parcels, packed by police officers and community members at a recent event at the synagogue, included an assortment of over 150 gifts as well as swag bags with knick-knacks such as fidget spinners, toy cars and poppers. Also included were personalized cards from the BACH community members and their children with holiday wishes and colorful drawings and artwork to help bring holiday cheer.

“I hope you have a happy holiday, and you like the present,” wrote one 10-yearold. “Hope you feel better soon!” wrote a seven-year-old who included a drawing of hearts and smiley faces.

“The holidays are a time for families to come together to celebrate and unfortunately with RSV and other illnesses being so prevalent among children this year, far too many will be spending the holiday season in the hospital without much of the holiday cheer they usually experience,” said Rabbi Berlin. “We learn from our sages about Chanukah being centered around spreading the light, and what better way than by helping sick children celebrate the holidays.”

“We are extremely thankful to Commissioner Walsh, the Long Beach Police Department and the Long Beach Police Foundation for partnering with us for this important opportunity to bring a smile to the faces of the children in Mount Sinai South Nassau. We hope and pray for their speedy recovery and their return to everyday life with all of its celebrations,” he added.

“It’s wonderful to partner with the BACH Jewish Center and the Foundation to try to make the lives of children who can’t be home for the holidays a little more special,” said Commissioner Ronald Walsh of the Long Beach Police Department. “Kids need to know that the police department and faith-based communities care about them and we are trying to make their world a little bit brighter this holiday season.”

Around the Community

Port Authority Lights Menorah Made of Steel From the Twin Towers

The Port Authority lit the World Trade Center menorah in the Oculus Center on Thursday evening, marking the fifth evening of Chanukah.

In addition to members of the Port Authority and local Jewish organizations, several high-ranking officials attended the ceremony, including Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, Port Authority Police Dept. Superintendent Ed Cetnar, Port Authority Chief security officer Greg Ehrie, Chief of Dept Mike Brown, Inspector Steve Yablonsky, Lieutenant Scot Pomerantz, and Port Authority Police Chaplain Rabbi Mendy Carlebach.

“The menorah lighting at the World Trade Center is a great tradition by the Port Authority to show support and solidarity with the Jewish community in New York City,” said Port Authority Police Chaplain Rabbi Mendy Carlebach. “This is a powerful and meaningful way for us to come together as a community and celebrate the

traditions and values of Chanukah.

“It is also an opportunity for people from all different backgrounds and faiths to learn about and appreciate the significance of this holiday for the Jewish community. This is a special moment that brings us together and reminds us of the importance of unity and diversity in our city.”

The Port Authority has supported the Jewish community in the tristate area for several decades. In 1963, they established a Shomrim Society, creating a safe space for Jewish employees of the Port Authority.

In the years before the September 11th attacks, two identical 7½ foot menorahs were a familiar sight in the Twin Towers during the Chanukah season, a bright light for all those who passed through the lobbies. However, the menorahs were destroyed in the collapse of the Towers. In 2011, Port Authority Police Lt. Scot Pomerantz, president of the Shomrim Society of the Port Authority, decided to bring the light back to the World Trade Center.

With limited resources, Pomerantz and his team turned to the original creators of the menorahs, Michael and Bonnie Berkowicz, to design a new one. Pomerantz wanted the new menorah to include a piece of World

Believing in Miracles at YSZ HS For Girls

There is never a dull moment during the Festival of Lights, and at YSZ HS for Girls, this was apparent throughout this past week, especially during the school’s atypical color war. Every part of the program was designed to facilitate learning, growth, and student leadership. Color War broke out on Friday afternoon with guest speaker Mrs. Judith Leventhal, noted author of Small Miracles. Students were split into teams Layla (night) which represents G-d’s hidden miracles, and Yom (day) which represents G-d’s epic, grand and open miracles. There were no classic watermelon eating contests or musical chairs; each competition was modeled with educational goals and outcomes. The program culminated with the spectacular Wednesday Night Chanukah Chagigah.

From museum quality art projects that were accompanied by researched descriptions, a menorah STEM challenge, and a scavenge for miracles hunt in the American Museum of Natural History, it was inspiring to see the girls research and work together to create masterpieces.

In awe of the sheer talent and seeing

how the students had the opportunity to showcase their capabilities in a safe and nurturing environment, Mrs. Wasser asked Mrs. Zerykier, “How did you get all of the most talented and smart girls in the entire Queens in one school?” The teams Layla and Yom where each pulsating with ruach and using their kochot for positive spiritual exploration and growth.

Presentations of the banners, cheers, divrei Torah, and a music video with original lyrics were held at the Chanukah

chagigah with many teachers in attendance. Each was unanimously wowed by the beauty of the event.

Rabbi Benhaim spoke towards the end of the evening and told the students, “You are the light, the kedushah is radiating – Haneirot halalu, kodesh hem!”

The girls could not get enough of the positive energy and continued enjoying the divrei Torah that Mrs. Zeryiker shared, “We do things ‘extra’ that will uplift our students, but notice it is all used for the

Trade Center steel as a symbol of resilience. The Berkowicz family worked with Pomerantz and the Shomrim Society to create a new menorah that honors the past and looks towards the future.

pursuit of coming closer to Hashem.”

The message was clear, at all times, with any situation that life presents and circumstance shows, we the Am Hanivchar can choose to see and feel a genuine connection with Hashem.

With the energy and enthusiasm that the students displayed during this Color War and Chanukah, the school hopes it continues to fan the flames of love for Hashem that will only get brighter and stronger.

Photo credit: Shahar Azran

Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam High School Happenings

The week of Chanukah at BYAM HS was replete with many exciting touches. From the 4 p.m. early dismissal each day, to the “no tests during Chanukah” policy, to games and treats shared by our staff – topped off with a Yom Iyun and Chagiga – what a great week at BYAM HS!

Our Yom Iyun, coordinated by staff member Ms. Ora Zakai, focused on the theme of “Lehodos,” giving thanks. Mrs. Ruchie Sokoloff, principal of BYAM HS, opened the Yom Iyun by sharing the fact that we, as a nation, are “Yehudim” – derived from the word “hodaah” – to give thanks. This set the tone for the thought-provoking video, dramatic (and humorous!) skit by our very own students, all showcasing the essence of gratitude. The students then divided into small groups for guided workshops with staff, called “Toda Bank” – a group “think” on hakaras hatov.

The next morning after Shacharis, our Chagiga was opened with a beautiful Dvar Torah delivered by Rabbi Nosson Greenberg, rav of Kehilas Machzikei Torah (KMT) of Far Rockaway. As the students listened with rapt attention, Rabbi Greenberg spoke so eloquently of the mitzvah of song on Chanukah. The message of turning a Chagiga or Mesiba on Chanukah into a “Seudas Mitzvah” via song truly resonated. The students were then escorted to a beautifully decorated room and treated to a wonderful chagiga brunch. Dancing and a game of “Hot Potato” followed with the Simchas Chanukah continuing via an impromptu hallway kumzits. Special thanks to Ms. Hodaya Kuigoykadosh, Extra-Curricular Coordinator, our fabulous Chagiga heads, and our BYAM HS staff for joining us as well. The simcha of the chag was truly felt by all!

Jam-Packed Chanukah Celebrations at YCQ

Chanukah Celebrations at the Yeshiva of Central Queens (YCQ) were jam-packed. Or would it be more appropriate to say jelly-filled?!

Monday kicked off with beautiful renditions of Hallel heard throughout the classrooms and in the shul. Throughout the morning, grades 3-8 each had the opportunity to experience a Silent DJ. Students were given headphones controlled by DJ Eli Arshadnia and danced along and celebrated the miracles of Chanukah, without any music blasting through speakers. Students enjoyed witnessing the comical sight of dancing “silently” while showing off their Chanukah moves.

Meanwhile, students in grades 1 and 2 had the chance to decorate doughnuts in the lunchroom. Students were given doughnuts and lined up to choose from the many different options to top their doughnut with, or even dip it in chocolate. Creativity was in the air as students made all sorts of delicious and unique combinations and gave their sufganiyot quite a makeover.

The celebration train was full steam ahead on Tuesday. After davening, Junior High School students began their mornings with parties with their rebbeim and morot, while grades 1-5 witnessed a spectacular magic show from Magic Mehl. Students (and faculty) were wowed by his impressive tricks. Although they were disappointed when he was unable to make their homework disappear for the rest of the year, students were nevertheless amazed by his magic repertoire. That afternoon, Nursery, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 students decorated beautiful Chanukah themed mugs in their classrooms, while Grades 2-5 created and devoured edible menorahs.

The activities did not slow down on Wednesday. Students in Nursery and Kindergarten enjoyed a magic show of their own from balloon magician extraordinaire Yoel Hecht. Grades 1-5 were amazed at the skills of Juggler Keith Leaf who put on quite a performance in the gym. Students from Grades 3-5 had their turn at doughnut decorating in the

afternoon. Back in the Junior High, boys and girls each competed in their respective fierce (and friendly) dreidel competitions with exciting prizes. Junior High students later stared in awe as a truck filled with TVs, video game consoles, and comfy seating suddenly appeared in the YCQ yard. Students piled in as they got to choose from a staggering amount of titles.

The YCQ faculty was treated to a party of their own on Wednesday afternoon. They enjoyed a dairy buffet from Bravo Pizza, dessert from Queens Pita, and a mocktail station with two mixologists. Travel toiletry bags with the YCQ logo were also distributed as gifts.

But wait, there’s more!

Thursday was yet another fun and meaningful day. Students in the 3-yearold and 4-year-old programs participated in a Chanukah Workshop with their parents. They played Chanukah games,

decorated cookies, made dreidels out of clay – for real! – and made scratch off pictures, and sang their favorite Chanukah songs. Kindergarten students also put on spectacular Chanukah plays for their families complete with singing, dancing, and fabulous costumes. Students in Grades 1-4 played Chanukah Bingo, while Grades 5-8 were out of the building on various Chesed Trips, including to help Chai Lifeline, Masbia, and Tomchei Shabbos.

The week wrapped up with a Chanukah Chagiga featuring Azamara DJ on Friday. Nursery to Grade 5 students had a blast belting their favorite tunes and lighting up the dance floor.

The success of the week is due to the Maccabean efforts of Mrs. Shirly PouradKaikov, Mr. Jacob Grossman, and the many other YCQ staff members who worked tirelessly to ensure students had a Chanukah they will never forget.

Aish Kodesh held a Chanukah an inspiring mesiba on Zos Chanukah

Chabad of the Five Towns Chanukah Celebrations

Thousands of Five Towns residents participated in the many Chabad Chanukah programs. Chabad was deeply honored to have the week of Chanukah proclaimed by Mayor of Cedarhurst Mayor Ben Weinstock as Chabad Week! Chabad has 13 public menorahs throughout the Five Towns and has celebrated community events with thousands of Five Towns residents!

Chabad of the Five Towns began Chanukah with CTeen Chanukah on Ice followed by an EPIC Glow Night at the Grand Menorah in Cedarhurst Park! Thank you to the Gural JCC for partnering with Chabad. Rabbi Dr. David Schechter lit the first candle and all present enjoyed dancing with the Glow Robot, donuts and glow dreidel necklaces sponsored by Cazenove Judaica. It was a very memorable night!

Monday, Mr. Sasha Berg lit the 2nd candle. This was followed by the incredible Gelt Drop! Thousands of chocolate coins and dreidel/menorah parachutes rained down over Cedarhurst Park! Thank you Sasha for the exciting energy you brought

to all! Cteen Jr. enjoyed a Chanukah Party at the Geisinsky complete with Chanukah games and fun.

A fully packed Smile on Seniors Chanukah party featured special guest speaker Mrs. Chana Sharfstein. Following The Grand Menorah lighting by Mr. Jeff Weinberg, Chabad had its annual Car Menorah Parade led by a music truck and over 50 cars with menorahs spreading the light and warmth of Chanukah!

Wednesday night Chanukah activities began with over 150 friends and volunteers of Friendship Circle and Shulamith High School joining a Chanukah Bowl at Woodmere Lanes. The Grand Menorah was lit by Cedarhurst Mayor Ben Weinstock and Councilman Anthony D’Esposito joining as well.

The Drive-in 8th Day Concert Wednesday Night was just EPIC!! A sold-out 350 cars with over 1,800 people were LIT as EXCITEMENT was palpable in North Woodmere Park. Mr. Shmuly Selmar lit the beautiful Menorah and Chabad was honored to have our County Executive,

Bruce Blakeman, and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin join at the amazing 8th Day concert! This event was co-sponsored by the Town of Hempstead. Thank you to Supervisor Donald Clavin and to County Executive Elect Bruce Blakeman from making this happen!

Thursday, Gan Chamesh Preschool parents and siblings got to join for a full Chanukah Funhouse carnival with many age-appropriate stations. Rabbi Moshe Weinberger lit the 5th candle and all present enjoyed doughnuts and a special Chanukah gift!

Mr. Gidon Shema lit the 6th candle of the Grand Menorah in Cedarhurst Park. After Shabbos, an uplifting community Musical Havdalah Ceremony was followed by Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky lighting the Grand Menorah. On Sunday night, Mr. Eli Katz lit the full Menorah.

Thank you to the co-sponsors of Chabad’s Chanukah activities: Mr. Ben and Lynda Brafman, Mittman Electric, NY Boom, Cazenove Judaica, Gourmet Glatt, and the Borokhovitch family for all

your support towards Chabad’s Chanukah events.

On Sunday, the Levi Yitzchak Library celebrated its 12th Anniversary with a special Chanukah event & puppet show.

Chabad of the Five Towns Director Rabbi Zalman Wolowik notes, “When lighting the Chanukah candles, the original mitzvah was for each family to light one candle each night of the holiday. Those choosing to enhance their observance, says the Talmud, would light one candle for each member of the household. An additional enhancement calls for every person to light their own candle and to increase the amount of candles each night to correspond with the day of Chanukah. So although one can technically fulfill the mitzvah with a minimum of one candle a night per family, almost nobody settles for that today.

“May the enhanced light of Chanukah serve as a springboard for going the extra mile with all the other mitzvahs too, which will help hasten the ultimate enhanced light, the coming of Moshiach.”

Science at SKA: Independent Research Projects

Scientific research and independent study has taken a huge leap this year at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls. Under the direction of Research Coordinator Dr. Salvatore Parrino and Science Department Chair Dr. Chana Glatt, over 30 SKA students are already participating in this ongoing initiative.

Many students choose a topic of interest to explore and research in depth, or they work on a discipline suggested by Dr. Parrino. There are ten different groups of students across 15 various projects and competitions. Areas of interest range from experimental Biology, Psychology and Education to research and developmental STEM projects.

Junior Talya Lippman is working on ExploraVision, a science competition where students reimagine current technologies as they could be in the future. Together with 11th graders Chani Heimowitz and Dassie Jaffe, Talya is envisioning how the technology of corrective lenses would look in ten plus years. The girls chose to explore glasses that auto-adjust to change the field of focus automatically so separate “Reading” or “Distance” glasses would be a thing of the past. “Dr. Parrino has directed us through each required component,” Talya notes. “This has been a great opportunity for me and my fellow students to learn research skills and brainstorm original ideas. I have learned so much.”

Senior Batya Kimyagarov joined the program last year and is equally excited. Batya is working on Next Generation Hemostat; the goal of this project is to create a clotting agent with less disseminating clots compared to what is available now. “So far,” she says, “our biggest issue is measuring whether we are successful or not. It is difficult to tell with the resources we have whether the clots stayed on our creation or whether they would be circulated throughout the blood because of how opaque the blood is. As a result, we’ve spent time redesigning our study to to use clear plasma and not whole blood.”

Since Batya is planning to be a physician and pre-med programs demand much scientific exploration and research, Batya feels SKA’s independent research program is invaluable.

Motivating and engaging, SKA’s Science Research program has been developing skills such as collaboration, creativity and critical thinking in our students. The early exposure to research also helps the girls develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter than is possible through classroom instruction alone. The program inspires budding SKA scientists to be innovators, making science relevant to everyday life and preparing them to make a difference in the world.

SKA 11th Graders Dassie Jaffe, Chani Heimowitz and Talya Lippman working on their Explora Vision project

Arzei Levanon: Bringing Out Greatness During the Precious Beis Medrash Years

Bochurim often emerge from their mesivta years wondering: Can I be greater? How much higher can I reach in my learning, my middos, and my avodas Hashem? What’s the next step? Where do I go from here?

Rabbi Simcha Sussman, a veteran of the chinuch field, has heard these questions – and others – over the years. His ability to connect to bochurim and inspire them to reach higher is what stirred him to establish Yeshiva Arzei Levanon in Eretz Yisroel, enabling him to put to use his decades of experience building up bochurim and guiding them to heights they’d never dreamed of reaching.

Rabbi Sussman grew up in Far Rockaway, NY, and learned at Yeshiva Darchei Torah and then Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin. During the summers, he was a senior staff member at Camp Munk. He was also famously in the music field for years as a member of Shalsheles, his musical talent complementing his chinuch acumen.

Rabbi Sussman learned in kollel at Yeshiva Ohr Yisroel (Rabbi Zucker) in Flatbush and at the Darchei Torah kollel, and he taught at DRS High School while also serving as the chazzan at the White Shul

in Far Rockaway. He ultimately relocated with his family to Eretz Yisroel, where he first served as a mashgiach at Yeshivas Ohr Yerushalayim before he opened a high school in Ramat Bet Shemesh for boys from Anglo families.

But all that was simply laying the groundwork for Rabbi Sussman’s ultimate aspiration.

This year, his dream of opening his own yeshiva culminated in the founding of Yeshiva Azrei Levanon, an Eretz Yisroel yeshiva experience geared for posthigh school boys from top yeshivos on the East Coast, and beyond.

Rabbi Sussman grew up in the milieu of Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv, as his father was a close talmid of the rosh yeshiva, and himself a student who grew up in the presence of Rav Shlomo Freifeld zt”l. Learning daily from Rabbi Freifeld and the way he was mechanech, and the influence of his own other rabbeim, is manifest in the way Rabbi Sussman leads his yeshiva and guides his bochurim. He takes a personal interest in every boy and their individual growth, stopping at nothing to bring out the boy’s full potential.

“Some people take these formative post-mesivta years for granted,” ob -

serves Rabbi Sussman. “But no matter what a boy will end up doing down the road, whether he’ll be learning, teaching or working, it is vital that he capitalize on his bais medrash years, and so we cultivate his very core, nurturing him to be as great as he can be. He’ll never get these years back!”

It is with this in mind that Rabbi Sussman carefully guides each bochur, identifying the areas in which he can shteig and grow, not just in high-level limud haTorah, but as a person and as an oveid Hashem.

“We challenge the boys not to be satisfied with superficial success,” he says. “The job of a yeshiva is not just to make the boys feel good – which we do, of course! – but to bring out the most in them and help them recognize that these years in yeshiva are truly precious.”

With remarkable dedication, Rabbi Sussman is in touch with each boy’s prior yeshiva to learn as much as he can about what they can benefit most from and how to help them experience genuine and long-lasting aliyah.

Over the years, Rabbi Sussman’s warm and engaging personality, coupled with his unique koach haneginah and

hartz, has facilitated the growth of numerous talmidim into true bnei Torah.

“Rabbi Sussman’s devotion to the boys is simply on a different level,” attests a parent. “It’s like something we’ve never seen. It is no wonder that the boys respond as they do. They recognize his love and care for them and their hatzlocha, and they reciprocate. It’s an amazing phenomenon to observe.”

Arzei Levanon is the term used to describe talmidei chachomim. Only because of its deep and plentiful roots does an erez tree grow tall and regal. At Arzei, Rabbi Sussman and the rabbeim believe that to achieve greatness, one must focus inward and cultivate a boy’s roots, his core. A boy’s internal kochos are accessed, allowing him to achieve a level of success he never before imagined, equipping him with the tools needed for the rest of his life.

On January 7, a Parlor Meeting for Yeshiva Arzei Levanon, with the participation of Rabbi Sussman, will be held at Yosef and Faigy Lowinger’s home. The program begins at 8:30 PM..

Come join and learn more about the yeshiva and what it can accomplish for your son.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams with Mr. Richard Altabe at the Speaker’s Chanukah celebration, co-hosted with Mayor Eric Adams

Rav Eli J. Mansour speaking at Mesivta Chaim Shlomo of Yeshiva Darchei Torah

Pesach Osina, community liaison for City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, lighting the world’s largest menorah at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan

HANC HS Annual Toy Drive Via Amazon Wish List

Three weeks before Chanukah, the HANC High School Jewish Action Committee set out to craft what was to become a brilliantly executed toy drive. The beneficiaries were the members of Ohel, a well-established organization which helps adults and children with developmental disabilities. The committee created a link and QR code to an Amazon wish-list filled with exciting toys and gifts for purchase which were sent to the High School.

The letter to students and parents read, “It is a really big mitzvah to give gifts especially around Chanukah time

and to put a big smile on the children’s faces. We can’t wait to see how many toys we can collect!” And collect they did.

The indefatigable senior Devorah Woznica reminded students daily to purchase their gifts. For those who were unsure of what to buy, Devorah set up a wheel of fortune that allowed students to spin and purchase the gift that they landed on. In all, over 70 gifts of all types were donated towards this wonderful mitzvah. Special thank you to senior Jessica Kravitz, Jewish Action Board Member, for her efforts throughout.

2,500 Families Receive the Gift of Bnei Akiva Spin

Last week, 2,500 families – including over 400 registered Moshava Ba’ir campers across West Hempstead, Queens, Great Neck, and 5 Towns – opened their mailboxes to find a little something special from Bnei Akiva of the U.S. and Canada.

Each family received “Bnei Akiva Spin,” a custom Bnei Akiva Dreidel card game with a collection of fun and educational trivia questions and prompts.

As Malka Fleischmann, Director of Moshava Ba’ir Long Island, expressed, “So much of what we do in Bnei Akiva is centered around the synthesis of Jewish thought and practice. Our study of Torah and Jewish history is brought to life through work and play, and we seek those enriching nexus points that bind the wisdom of our holy books together with the beauty and urgency of values-based

traditions and behaviors.”

During the times of the Chashmonaim, the Greeks weren’t only attacking Jews but were seeking to extinguish our entire way of life and the culture that pervaded our homes. More than anything, our celebration of Chanukah is meant to deepen our Jewish identity and thoroughly suffuse our homes with Torah and Jewish practice – and what better way than a fun game infused with Jewish history, culture, and identity.

For more information or to bring Bnei Akiva to your community, visit bneiakiva.org

Moshava Ba’ir Long Island is excited to be opening its doors for summer 2023 on the HANC Uniondale Campus. Visit mbli.moshavabair.org for more information or to apply as a camper or staff member today.

Color War and Chanukah at HANC

The joyous sound of children enjoying themselves could be heard all over the building in HANC Elementary School in West Hempstead. In conjunction with the first two days of Chanukah, the children began their annual Color War, with the red team representing Gevurah and the Yellow team representing Emunah. These two colors combine to create a flame, which sheds light and illuminates the darkness. Dressed in creative colorful outfits, the children arrived at school knowing that the day would be filled with many fun activities.

After spirited davening in each classroom, the exciting day began. The children participated in numerous activities including Human Anagrams, Order in the Court, HANC Mitzvah Memory game, schoolwide Chanukah Kahoot, Dreidel spinning contests, and even Capture the Flag. As the children participat-

ed, points were given not only for winning an activity but also for encouraging teammates from both teams and exhibiting good middot and derech eretz as they competed. During the course of the twoday event, each team needed to compose a team cheer, sing an existing song that reflects their team’s name, prepare a dvar Torah, create a one-minute promotional video that reflects HANC’s passion, and build a menorah out of Lego.

In addition to the myriad of indoor activities, there were plenty of outdoor games to enjoy as well.

The moment the children had been waiting for came at the very end of the second day. After the students gathered for team cheers, songs, Divrei Torah, videos and Lego menorah displays, all of the points for good sportsmanship as well as performance were added up. In the end, it was the yellow team (Emunah) that

DRS Yeshiva Celebrates Chanukah

The DRS Yeshiva celebrated Chanukah with a week of festivities.

The celebrations included Chanukah parties at the homes of the rebbeim, each with its own distinct menu, games, activities, and Torah.

Throughout the week, students were treated to great food, as well as a variety of fun and educational events. The highlight of the week was the “Shiurvivor” event, which pitted each shiur against

each other in a series of activities and competitions.

The competitions included a Chanukah Torah Trivia Jeopardy game, a Silent DJ Musical Chairs competition, a Slam Dunk Contest, a Dvar Torah contest, and a Trick Shot Video film contest. Students participated with enthusiasm and spirit, displaying a lot of untapped and hidden talents, making the event a memorable and enjoyable experience for all.

Chanukah at HANC ECC

After much preparation, the talmidim in HANC’s Early Childhood Center were ready to perform for their families and spread light and joy on Chanukah. As the parents, grandparents and even some great-grandparents eagerly awaited the arrival of the children, it was clear that they were in for a big treat. Accompanied by the music of the ECC music teacher, Morah Kayli, the children entered the auditorium, proudly wearing their costumes and crowns and sang their little hearts out. Adorned with candles, dreidels and Maccabi shields that they had decorated by themselves, the children proudly sang all of the songs that they had

learned in the weeks leading up to this most cherished holiday. When it was time for the dreidel dance, each child welcomed a parent or grandparent to join them on the dance floor, and the multi-generational dance was truly an emotional sight to behold. As Morah Trudy Rubinstein, ECC Director said, this was the true miracle of the chag, watching these little children dance with their great grandmothers!

Following the delightful performance, the children invited their family members to join them at the tables for an interactive Chanukah project. Utilizing healthy fruits and snacks, the children created edible menorahs created from bananas, clementines

was declared victorious. It was a fun two days for all of the children, and a great opportunity to enjoy themselves.

For the remainder of the Chanukah week, the fun continued. In addition to non-stop Chanukah activities in the classrooms, the PTA provided sufganiyot for each child which they decorated with icing, chocolate chips, candies and sprinkles; Digital Dov entertained the students with a lively Jeopardy-type game experience; and the week ended in a spirited light up the night, glow in the dark Rabbi Kelemer Shabbat Assembly. It was a Chanukah week the children in HANC will never forget.

HANC wishes to thank Morah Daniella Hirt, HANC Student Activities Coordinator, for all of her hard work in preparing this jam packed, fun-filled Chanukah experience for all of the children. Hakarat hatov also goes to the entire staff for

encouraging the students and helping out to make this year’s Color War and many Chanukah activities such a huge success.

and pretzels. They also stuffed and decorated dreidel pillows that they had created to enhance their holiday.

At the conclusion of the event, each child received a HANC water bottle

filled with sevivonim and chocolate Chanukah gelt. It was a sweet ending to a most enjoyable program, bonding multiple generations in a wonderful celebration of Chanukah.

Touro Undergrads Learn What It Takes to Succeed in Med School and Beyond

Over 90% of undergrads at Touro’s Lander Colleges who apply to medical school and 98% who apply to dental school secure spots. As a national leader in medical and health science education, Touro gives its students an edge. From research and shadowing opportunities to medical missions in Thailand and Nepal, test prep and clinical training, Touro offers students every opportunity to realize their dreams of becoming doctors, dentists and other health care professionals.

In keeping with its goal to ensure future medical professionals are set up for success, Touro University presented a special session last month designed for undergraduate students to learn about their options in the medical and health science fields, what it takes to gain admission into highly competitive programs and how to become candidates for professional schools in growing fields.

Deans and other representatives of five of Touro’s graduate and professional schools – New York Medical College, Touro College of Dental Medicine, Touro College of Pharmacy, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Touro affiliate New York College of Podiatric Medicine – spoke to the students about the process of choosing and applying to medical schools, as well as how to succeed once enrolled. Afterward, the school representatives were available to speak to students one on one about their respective programs.

A Pathway to Success

Touro’s Executive Vice President, Rabbi Moshe Krupka, opened the session highlighting the school’s dedication to seeing their students succeed. “We’re going to give you an outstanding education, we’re going to give you caring professors, we’re going to give you guidance, and we’re going to have nights like this and endless opportunities to prepare you to be successful. We are so proud of the fact that our institution stands by each and every one of you.”

Dr. Edward Halperin, Chancellor and CEO of New York Medical College, said, “In developing this prep session, I felt that we needed to deal with two unmet needs. First, to provide educational programming to address the special needs of observant Jewish students seeking careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and podiatry. Second, to describe the ways in which we seek to facilitate the transition of Touro undergraduates to our own university’s health professions’ graduate and professional schools. This program, which we provide each fall at the Touro Brooklyn campus, strives to meet both needs.”

He stressed the importance of choosing where to apply. He noted that when deciding which car to buy, most people will pick up a copy of Consumer Reports or do research on the pros and cons of different models.

“But they pick where they’re going to

college, medical school or dental school because it feels right, because they liked walking around the campus,” Dr. Halperin said. “Nobody in their right mind would spend $200,000 on a purchase because it feels right. They would do their homework and that’s what you all need to do.”

Speaking of homework, Dr. Halperin said undergraduates always ask what matters most to the admissions staff. Does the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) matter more than GPA? Does GPA matter more than the Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer)? How important are the letters of reference?

“Answer: Everything’s important,” he said. “We look at it all. You need to take challenging courses. You need to get good grades. Your references matter. You need to write a clear essay that’s understandable and do well on your standardized tests.”

Halperin shared tips for interviewing successfully and told the group that qualified Touro undergrads have a good chance of securing interviews at Touro professional schools.

Preparing for Future Careers

While Honoring Our Values

Beyond learning about Touro’s various opportunities in medicine, dentistry and health sciences, the students heard about rising to the unique challenges religious Jews encounter during

training. Students at Touro’s medical and dental schools are fortunate to have their class and exam schedules in sync with the Jewish calendar and to have access to on campus minyanim, shiurim and a community of like-minded students who share values as well as study sessions, Shabbatons, challah bakes and other events. All food on these campuses is kosher and the environment is conducive to Jewish life.

The second half of the event was dedicated to facilitating conversations between potential students and the deans and staff members representing Touro’s graduate schools. Students were encouraged to approach various stations throughout the room to ask questions of the representatives and learn more about the specific programs.

“I like the idea that there are a lot of medical professionals in the same place that you could talk to,” said Yael Levy, in her second year at Touro’s Lander College of Arts & Sciences. “I know I want to do something in the medical field, but I’m not sure exactly what yet, so it was really helpful to hear everyone and see people who are doing different things.”

Levy shared that, in some ways, learning about what it takes to succeed in the field of health sciences is overwhelming.

“But at the same time, it made me realize I want to do this,’” she says. “It sounds intense and hard, but also an exciting challenge.”

Dr. Henry Cohen of Woodmere, dean of Touro College of Pharmacy, shares insight with Touro undergrads

Dr. Edward Farkas of Lawrence, dean of Touro College of Dental Medicine, with pre-dental students

Mercaz Academy Celebrates Chanukah – and Receives an Unexpected Gift

Mercaz Academy students enjoyed a Chanukah full of fun and excitement, with daily activities that included dreidel playing, a performance for the Early Childhood students from Small Wonder Puppets, music and dancing, our PTA Chagigah with outdoor candle lighting, and a schoolwide game of “See, Run, Build,” a game that encourages better communication skills.

However, the Chanukah activity that was most meaningful to our students was one at which Mercaz Academy students were the performers. Under the leadership of teachers Rabbi Moshe Rubel, Mrs. Katharine Papaccioli, and Mrs. Francie Goldberg, and trained by Mercaz Academy music teacher Mr. Craig Resmovits, fifth and sixth graders visited the Mid-Island Y JCC to perform Chanukah songs. The students performed throughout the day for various groups, including special needs young adults, elderly people with dementia (many of whom sang along to “I

Have a Little Dreidel” and “Maoz Tzur”), and survivors of the Holocaust.

Beyond the pleasure our students took in doing an act of kindness for others, they received a gift in the form of an impromptu speech from one of the survivors. Rabbi Meyer Kizelnik, aged 90, brought tears to everyone’s eyes as he shared his thoughts on surviving World War II. Rabbi Kizelnik told students that he is living proof of G-d’s existence; with Hashem’s help, he worked his way through a college degree, rabbinic ordination, and a long and rewarding life.

Rabbi Kizelnik, who survived the most difficult situations imaginable, charged the Mercaz Academy students to remember that, no matter what, Hashem is always looking after us.

“He was so inspiring,” said Mercaz student Max Goldberg.

“He gave us hope that when times are dark, there will always be light coming,” another student added.

At the Siach Yitzchok Chanukah Mesiba and Dreidel Drop

The Chanukah Extravaganza at Ezra

Chanukah week was a huge celebration at Ezra Academy. From the initial Kahoot! that broke out color war for the whole school, the excitement was palpable. The kids were split into the yellow (aish-fire) and blue (mayim-water) teams. Many activities were planned as the teams competed in art, music, dance, technology, culinary and sports-related activities. The color

war/Chanukah week also included a trip to Urban Air Trampoline Park (where games and activities were included in color war) and a chagigah with food and dancing, a raffle and the announcement of yellow team as the winner. The party concluded with Ma’ariv and candle lighting. The students were then dismissed for their Chanukah vacation. A great week was had by all.

Lakeview Fire District Elections

To help shed light and fun, the Ganger Early Childhood division of TAG held a glow in the dark activity, which was very illuminating

On Tuesday evening, December 13, voters in the Lakeview Fire District (West Hempstead, NY) came out to vote in the annual Fire Commissioner elections.

Robert (Bob) Shelly, a 29 year member of the Lakeview Fire Department, having most recently served two years as a Lieutenant, and a Member of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, was elected to serve a one-year term to complete the unexpired term of a prior Commissioner who had resigned from the Board of Fire Commissioners.

Commissioner Shelly was appointed to the vacant Commissioner seat in May 2022 and, as per NYS law, was required to run in the December elections in order to maintain that seat.

Commissioner Shelly previously served as a Lakeview Fire Commissioner from 1996 until 2000. He brings that prior experience, as well as his many years in Business and Operations Management, to the Board.

“I am looking forward to continuing to work with the other four members of the Board of Fire Commissioners as we strive to continually improve fire and emergency medical services provided to the taxpayers, homeowners, and residents of the Lakeview Fire District.”

In addition to Commissioner Shelly, Lakeview Fire Commissioner Frederick G. Senti, Jr. was re-elected to serve a five-year term. Commissioner Senti, Jr. is an ex-Chief and 50 year member of the Lakeview Fire Department and has been a Commissioner for the past 35 years. His vast knowledge and experience makes him the foundation of the Lakeview Board of Fire Commissioners.

Shulamith Shows Gratitude to

Local Precincts

Shulamith

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students, teachers, and principals showed their hakarat hatov to officers from the Nassau County police department. Students prepared hot cocoa cups for the officers, then cheered and thanked the officer who

came by to pick them up. A guiding prin

ciple of Shulamith is the importance of showing hakarat hatov – to community workers, to our morot, to our family, to our friends and to Hashem.

HALB’s fifth grade girls volunteered at the JCCRP, packing boxes of food for families in need

A Honor of Distinction

Kulanu is HALB’s Hero of the Month

The Davis Renov Stahler High School for Boys is extremely proud of our seniors who have been admitted early decision to Yeshiva University’s Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program at Yeshiva College and Business Honors and Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Sy Syms School of Business. It is a particular source of pride that these wonderful students have chosen to pursue their college education at an institution where they will build upon the foundation they laid at DRS with our emphasis on warm, serious To -

rah learning and academic excellence in general studies.

We salute Rubin Adler, Baer Boczko, Ahron Cohen, Aryeh Cywiak, Ari Kahn, Akiva Mehlman, Jack Radinsky, Daniel Rosner, Samuel Saperstein, Simcha Schacter, Moti Schreck, Noah Steinmetz and Raymond Tawil. We appreciate the leadership of our Menhael, Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, Principal, Dr. Hillel Broder, and Director of College Guidance, Rabbi Yitzchak Rosenblum, as well as the efforts of the entire DRS faculty.

Every month, the fifth grade boys at HALB have a different “Hero of the Month.” They learn about an organization and then the tzedakah collected that month goes to them. For Kislev, the Hero of the Month was Kulanu,

and the boys not only collected money for them, they also had the opportunity to celebrate Chanukah with the children from Kulanu – complete with dancing, singing and gift giving. Everyone had a great time!

Celebrating Chanukah and Math at YOSS

The fourth graders in Mrs. Zicherman’s class at Yeshiva of South Shore spent Chanukah celebrating the end of our math unit in area and perimeter. As a culminating math activity, we created our own sheet cake dreidels. Each group of students received one rectangle, one triangle, and one square piece of cake. The task was simple: measure the area and perimeter of each shape, then build the dreidel, decorate, and devour! The boys had a great time experiencing some hands-on math as well as cake decorating! They especially enjoyed eating the special treat over Chanukah!

The mommies and children of Gesher had a blast at Chanukah workshops last week

Mordechai Shapiro Comes to HAFTR

On Wednesday, December 21, popular singer-songwriter Mordechai Shapiro came to HAFTR to give students a lineup of special Chanukah concerts. The concerts were made possible through a joint collaboration between HAFTR, HAFTR PTA, and Hillel day camp.

At 10:45am, Shapiro arrived at the

HAFTR High School gym and stepped onto a special stage designed and constructed by HAFTR student Cory Spitzer. Shapiro was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of high school students who cheered, sang along and danced to his music. Throughout the concert, boys joined Shapiro up on stage, dancing and singing with him.

HANC High School Girls’ Retreat

The HANC High School Girls’ Retreat took place on Shabbat Parashat Vayeishev, December 16-17, at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, CT, and once again proved to be a highlight of the year so far. Students bonded with peers and teachers and felt an enhanced sense of closeness and connection that the Shabbat experience often brings. The achdut and spirit that the girls exuded was palpable throughout Shabbat and has definitely carried over into school for the week of Chanukah. Retreat 5783/2022, which was attended by almost every single girl in the high school, is certainly a memorable experience which will have a long-lasting impact on all who joined.

The theme of the Retreat was “Ner Tamid” – My Eternal Flame, and was brilliantly woven through the entire weekend. From Friday’s Glow in the Dark

find the pach shemen, the grade Onegs, to the unifying Motzei Shabbat kumzitz, the girls took part in inspiring activities and workshops.

Friday night after a beautiful seudah the upperclassmen participated in a theme-related and thought-provoking panel moderated by Morah Zaslowsky and panelists Rabbi Tsvi Selengut, Rabbi Simcha Weingot, Morah Jenna Zelka, and Morah Leora Feder. Grades 9 and 10 participated in interactive sessions presented by faculty.

The beautiful singing of zmirot, the student-delivered divrei Torah, the workshops conducted by their own HANC faculty and their spouses, and the participation of many teachers’ families all came together to create an uplifting Shabbat atmosphere.

On Motzei Shabbat, the girls participated in the HANC’s Talent Show, in

After an hour break, Shapiro walked into the Hawks Nest at HAFTR Lower School. He was given a warm introduction from Mr. Joshua Gold, principal of HAFTR Lower School. Shapiro then proceeded to play two back-to-back concerts for the lower school and middle school students. To each show, he brought the same enthusiasm and high energy.

The experience is sure to have made a lasting impact on HAFTR’s students. As an observant Jew with a successful music career, Mordechai Shapiro is a huge inspiration to HAFTR students. During the show, he took the time to interact personally with students, treating them with kindness and further inspiring them.

which many of the students displayed their unique talents on stage, featuring a dynamic performance by the girls’ dance team, individual acts in song and dance, and an entertaining senior video. The entire show was skillfully coordinated by seniors Eliya Bivas, Devorah Woznica, and Shira Avadi.

Following a delicious Melave Malka, the students geared up for a spirited chagigah. Led by energetic and dynamic HANC alum, Maddie Fishkind nee Hamada, ’16, and Azamra DJ, the girls danced and sang with incredible excitement and enthusiasm, resulting in a truly spectacular chagigah, followed by an

uplifting kumzitz. The connections that were created over Shabbat were evident in the way the students danced in unison. The girls boarded the buses with newfound friends and reinvigorated appreciation for their school, Shabbat, and their teachers. A huge thank you to Student Life, Rabbi Daniel Mezei and Rabbi Judah Hulkower and to Morah Orlee Zaslowsky, for spearheading the entire Shabbaton. Kudos to Mrs. Jackie Raofim and Morah Leigh Henoch for all their expertise in organizing the event. Shout out to Senior Retreat Heads, Tehilla Rabanipour, Nava Talitian, and Aviva Afrahim, for making this event a huge success.

Congratulations to the Shulamith Menorah contest winners: Esther Glatt, Rachel Mitgang, Talia Muller and Chava Roth

Shulamith Early Childhood Center students visited their neighbors at the Esplanade Senior Living Center where they brought smiles to the residents’ faces by singing Chanukah songs.

Yitz the Great at Young Israel of Far Rockaway

On the 7th day of Chanukah, December 25, over 60 people had an amazing time at the Young Israel of Far Rockaway.

We all laughed and were mesmerized as we watched Yitz the Great, magician and balloon artist, who gave us an incredible performance of magic and balloon artistry.

Children and adults had a super fun afternoon with outstanding entertainment, and everyone received a delicious Chanukah goody bag to take home. At the end of the fabulous show, the children were delighted to receive the balloon creations to take home as well!

This really culminated a truly wonderful Chanukah for all of us and we gratefully thank everyone at the Young Israel of Far Rockaway who participated in our Chanukah shul event.

“Wrapping Up” an Awesome Week of Chanukah

This year, Chanukah was simply spectacular at HANC High School. A week filled with meaningful events for the entire student body was planned by our Student Life Team.

The activities included Let’s Make A Deal and Annual Auction for tzedakah, grade Chanukah breakfasts and parties at the homes of rabbeim and morot, a toy

Chanukah at SHS

By: Esti Scharf

As always, Chanukah this year was lit at SHS. The daily programming, making every day exciting and special, maximized the rare occasions we spend chagim together as a school community. In true SHS fashion, the schedule balanced learning, chessed, and fun, ensuring that the meaning and inspiration of Chanukah didn’t get lost in the excitement.

The week began with grade-wide breakfasts with grade level advisors. This gave each group a chance to spend time with classmates they don’t always hang out with, in addition to starting the week with a delicious party. The differ-

drive, a YACHAD party, and grade candle lighting ceremonies. The chag culminated with an epic Joey Newcomb Chagiga and Kumzitz highlighting our very own Rabbi Judah Hulkower as the band’s drummer.

Thank you to Rabbi Daniel Mezei and the Student Life team for bringing a spirited Chanukah to HANC High School.

ent grades came together at the end for music and dancing. The day continued with a workshop about our JOH program, reflecting on how amazing and beneficial it is. The following night, we had our incredible chagiga. It started off with a little game of hide and seek with the seniors. All of the seniors came a half hour earlier and hid so that the rest of the school could find them. The first person to find 25 seniors was declared the winner, and the whole school went to our multipurpose room to dance with our friends and teachers to a silent DJ.

On Wednesday, we had the privilege to have an optional “Latke and Learn” with NCSY. On our last day before our Chanukah vacation, we had the privilege

to hear words of Torah about Chanukah by Rabbi Blumstein, and ended with a kumsitz, singing beautiful songs. We are so grateful for this time spent

with friends and faculty and always look forward to the wonderful programming that uplifts chagim for us.

Chanukah workshops at Lev Chana were a special time for parents to join their children for Chanukah activities and songs

Did you know?

There was no Asara B’Teves in the secular year of 2022.

Chanukah Mesibos at Mesivta Chaim Shlomo and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid of Darchei Torah

Yeshiva Toras Halacha

Many young men return from Eretz Yisroel having grown leaps and bounds and are now looking to keep the momentum going. The big question they ask themselves is whether they should focus on continued growth in Torah learning or follow the pursuit of earning? At our yeshiva, we ask the question: why not have both?

Yeshiva Toras Halacha is a haven for even-minded Torah driven professionals. Morning seder is from 9:30am-12pm Monday through Thursday, at which point the talmidim then go to college, work or an internship. Besides an array of halacha, Gemara, and dating vaadim, the Yeshiva’s main morning seder involves the learning of sugyas to their halachic endpoint. The Yeshiva is cur-

rently learning the sugya of Tevilas Keilim, a must-know for all who are getting married in the next few years. Just as important as the limud is the solid connection that is formed between the talmidim and their rabbeim and peers. The very warm and Torah-dik environment in the KGH building of Od Yosef Chai only helps foster continued growth in both ruchniyus and gashmiyus endeavors for a prosperous and healthy future.

Learn more at www.YeshivaTorasHalacha.org and contact Rabbi Yechiel Benari at 917-600-2486, rabbibenari@ gmail.com, to enroll for the next zman, which begins the last week of January.

Photos by Naftoli Goldgrab

Rav David Ashear, guest speaker

Rav Avrohom Nusbaum, menahel, dancing with talmidim

A view of the dancing in the Diamond Beis Medrash

Rav Zevi Trenk, menahel, dancing with talmidim

Rav Moshe Brown, guest speaker

Be a Blessing - A Guide to Living One’s Mission to the Fullest

By Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

“Be a blessing, my child, be a blessing.” They were words whispered from a father to his child as she confronted the horrors of the Holocaust. That child would grow up to be the world’s beloved Rebbetzin, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis.

Be a Blessing, published by ArtScroll/ Mesorah, shows us how she chose to “be a blessing” in the darkest of times and most horrific of places. In Bergen-Belsen. In a Swiss boarding school, as a penniless refugee, separated from her family. In a hospital bed in San Diego.

Written as she recovered from a difficult and painful accident, Be A Blessing – the Rebbetzin’s final book – sings out with faith, hope, even in times of despair.

In these pages, we will hear Rebbetzin Jungreis speaking in Madison Square Garden, in a U.S. airforce base, in a hospital room where she lies in terrible pain. We will hear her speaking to individuals looking for help or comfort. We will hear her speaking to herself, a young Holocaust survivor. And, most importantly, we will hear her speaking to each one of us, our concerns, our hopes and fears and questions.

From the Rebbetzin we will gain tips for a better marriage and for being better parents. We will learn how to find the mission our Creator has chosen for each individual, and how to make room for Hashem in our hearts. And we will discover how to take our personal mission, use it to “be a blessing” and convert darkness to rays of light.

In Jewish tradition, before parents journey to the next world, they bless their children. In this, the Rebbetzin’s final message to us, she has blessed all of us –because she felt all of G-d’s people were her children –with the greatest blessing of all: To be a blessing.

The following is a brief excerpt from the book.

Hit a Home Run for Your People!

Some years ago, President George W. Bush appointed me to the board of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which brought me quite frequently to Washington. On one of these occasions, following a board meeting, I was walking on the street when a young rabbi with a large group of students spotted me.

He came running. “Rebbetzin!” he exclaimed, “I’m so happy I’m meeting you! I have here my talmidim,” he went on, pointing to the young boys. “Could you offer them some words of chizuk and inspiration?”

In the street, amid the noise of passing traffic, with my young audience distracted by the sights — that was not exactly the venue in which I would choose to speak. But I do believe everything is bashert. So if I encountered these young boys, and their rabbi asked me to address them, how could I say no?

“Are you all into sports?” I asked.

My question was greeted with an enthusiastic yes.

“Then let me tell you a sports story,” I said, “and put it away into your hearts and your minds. And one day, please

G-d, you will tell it to your own children and grandchildren.

“Once there was a highly successful sports team. Tickets to their games were very much coveted, and when they played, the stadium was sold out. And then, there was some internal fighting among the team. The players were angry at each other. Some quit and joined other teams, other players failed to train, and still others became indifferent. The only ones who were left were the fans.

“Now, let me ask you,” I challenged the boys, “do you think a team can survive with only its fans?”

“You must be kidding!” they responded. “Of course not! It’s a no-brainer!”

“You’re right,” I said, “it is a no-brainer. But unfortunately, that is what happened to us, the Jewish People. We have many ‘fans.’ Bar mitzvah parties galore. But does having a party mean that the bar mitzvah boy fulfills the challenge of being a bar mitzvah — which means ‘son of mitzvos, commandments’? Does he put on tefillin every morning? Does he go to minyan? Does he study Torah? Is that guy a player or a fan?

“I’m a Holocaust survivor,” I went on. “When I was your age, I was in the ghettos, the concentration camps, the displaced persons camps. My zeides, my bubbes, my aunts, uncles, and cousins — all holy people, great players for Hashem’s team — can no longer play.

“So listen, boys,” I said. “You have an awesome responsibility. You must pray for them, for they can no longer pray. You

must study Torah for them, for they can no longer study. You must give tzedakah for them, for they can no longer give tzedakah. You must do mitzvos for them, for they can no longer do mitzvos.

“So, guys, listen to me,” I said. “Go into the field and hit a home run for your people. Build up your team and make it better than ever. And if you do, the stadium will be filled, and everyone will be cheering. You can restore the faith of our people. Make our people win. Let us build a team of Torah, and spread the holy rays of blessing, truth, kindness, integrity, wisdom, and righteousness, which are all contained in our Torah. We need only to bring them forth.”

TJH Centerfold

Word Up

Each of the following words was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary this year, except for one. Can you spot the word that was not added?

Copypasta - Data that has been copied and spread widely online.

Adorkable - Socially awkward or quirky in a way that is endearing.

Baller - Excellent, exciting, or extraordinary, especially in a way that is suggestive of a lavish lifestyle.

Fluffernutter - A sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow between two slices of white sandwich bread.

Lewk - A fashion look that is distinctive to the wearer and that is noticeable and memorable to others.

Meatspace - The physical world and environment especially as contrasted with the virtual world of cyberspace.

Omakase - A series of small servings or courses offered at a fixed price and whose selection is left to the chef’s discretion.

Sponcon - Content posted on social media that looks like a typical post but for which the poster has been paid to advertise a product or service.

Yeet - To express surprise, approval, or excited enthusiasm.

Greenwashing - The act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is.

Livergribnirwwhisker - The act of scarfing down liver and gribernis in shul while making a L’chaim with the baal simcha between bites.

Answer: Hmm…have a bit more liver and gribernis and then try figuring out again which word was not yet added.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me!

Yankel joined a new senior living community, but for three months, he didn’t say a word. On Chanukah, they had a party and served fruit pie. Yankel tasted the pie and blurted out, “You call this fruit pie? It tastes more like liquid cardboard pie!”

The entire staff was in shock. This was the first time they heard Yankel talk.

The speech therapist ran over to Yankel and said, “Yankel, tell me what happened— we have been trying to get you to talk for three months!”

Yankel replied, “Well, I never had any reason to talk until they served me the horrible fruit pie!”

2022 Sports Round-Up

1. Which country did the U.S. lose to in the World Cup?

a. Iran b. France c. Argentina d. Netherlands

2. How many days after retiring did Tom Brady unretire?

a. 18 b. 36 c. 40 d. 54

3. Why was Novak Djokovic banned from participating in the 2022 Australian Open?

a. Because he didn’t take the Covid vaccine b. Because he took steroids c. Because he was beyond the allowed age group of 21-45 d. Because he suffered a concussion in practice and was not cleared by medical professionals in time for the tournament

4. What 15th-seed college basketball team was the “Cinderella story” of this year’s NCAA tournament, making it to the Elite Eight of March Madness?

a. St. Peters University

b. Touro College c. Hofstra University d. LaGuardia Community College

5. Which team did Golden State defeat in the 2022 NBA Finals?

a. Philadelphia 76ers b. Milwaukee Bucks c. L.A. Lakers d. Boston Celtics

6. Which team won the 2022 Stanley Cup?

a. Tampa Bay Lightning b. NY Rangers c. Colorado Avalanche d. Edmonton Oilers

7. Which country won the most gold medals at the Winter Olympics in Beijing?

a. Norway b. U.S. c. Russia d. Germany

8. Which Los Angeles Rams player was MVP of Super Bowl LVI?

a. Tyler Higbee b. Cooper Kupp c. Matt Stafford d. Aaron Donald

9. St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols became only the fourth player in MLB to hit how many home runs? a. 500 b. 600 c. 700 d. 800

10. Who was the MVP of the 2022 World Series?

a. Padro Baez b. Jeremy Pena c. Jose Altuve d. Jason Castro Answers:

Scorecard: 8-10 correct: You sure spent a lot

time focusing on sports this year! 4-7 correct: You are the St. Peters University of sports trivia! 0-3 correct: Hmm…so what did you do this year?

Parshas Vayigash

By Rabbi Berel Wein

The statement of our father Jacob to the Pharaoh of Egypt that “my years of life have been few and most unpleasant” is most perplexing. We all know the well-known anecdote that one of the most disappointing things in life is to ask someone how he or she is and they actually tell you. One would’ve expected that Jacob would have answered

the Pharaoh in a general, positive fashion.

Rashi interprets the answer of Jacob in the light of his deteriorated physical condition that he presented to the Pharaoh. He wanted Pharaoh to realize that the lines in his face were well-earned. He also wanted him to realize that the lives of even the most righteous of people and the holiest of families can also be trou-

bled and difficult.

He was teaching the Pharaoh the great lesson that in this world good is its own reward and that it does not necessarily carry with it physical comfort and emotional serenity. He was telling the Pharaoh not to judge him or his family by the shortsighted yardstick of material success and lifelong leisure.

This was his explanation of the great Jewish lesson “that the race is neither to

been the great characteristic of the Jewish people.

Jacob can look back upon the life of turbulence, disappointments, and sadness and yet see for himself and his progeny greatness and immortal memory. The Pharaoh must have realized that a blessing from this old broken Jewish stranger was of enormous value to him in Egypt. Often in history it is the unlikely and seemingly downtrodden individual

the swift nor success to those who deem themselves to be wise.” The Pharaoh is accustomed to immediate reward and benefit, to royal garments and gilded chariots. Jacob informs him that that this is a false measure of life and achievement. Though Jacob lived a stormy and often tragic life, it is he who blesses the Pharaoh for he, Jacob, possesses the gift of the future and of immortality.

How sad it is if a person has to look back at one’s lifetime and feel that somehow life cheated him or that he deserved better! The ability to deal with the vicissitudes of life, its downs as well as its ups, in the strength of belief that everything is from the hand of our Creator has always

who holds the key to future developments and to the correct worldview of situations and conditions.

As long as Jacob lives, there will no longer be a famine that will affect Egypt. The Pharaoh must have undoubtedly realized the gift of this blessing to Egypt. But like many people who will receive blessings in this world, he seems not to be impressed sufficiently by the matter to change policies, attitudes, or behavior. Jacob and his descendants will haunt Egyptian society for centuries until it finally will overwhelm it. This has been the lot and mission of Israel over its very long, troublesome but great history.

Shabbat shalom.

He was teaching the Pharaoh the great lesson that in this world good is its own reward.

From the Fire

Parshas Vayigash

Protect the Candle, Then Light a Bonfire

By Rav Moshe Weinberger Adapted for publication by Binyomin Wolf

Chazal (Yalkut Shimoni 150) connect the confrontation between Yehuda and Yosef at the beginning of the parsha to a pasuk in Tehillim (48:2-5) we read every Monday morning in the Song of the Day: “Hashem is great and very much praised in the city of our G-d, the mountain of His holiness. A beautiful view, joy of the entire world, the mountain of Zion…for behold the kings have assembled; they have passed together.” When Dovid Hamelech said, “The kings have assembled,” the Midrash says that this refers to none other than Yehuda and Yosef. Yehuda was the king of the brothers, and Yosef was the king of Egypt. Why does the Midrash connect this encounter with Dovid Hamelech’s description of the beauty of Yerushalayim, the Temple Mount, and the Beis Hamikdash?

We see from the Mishna in Pirkei Avos (2:1) that there are two types of tzaddikim, two ways of serving Hashem. The Mishna says, “Rebbi says, ‘Which is the straight path which a person should choose? Any one which gives glory to the one who does it and glory from other people.’” In other words, there are two paths, both of which appear good and straight, so it is difficult to choose between them. But Rebbi advises that one should choose the path that not only gives himself glory but also causes others to give him glory. One type of tzaddik serves Hashem to perfect himself and get closer to Hashem, but he does not involve himself in teaching or attempting to influence others. This type of tzaddik includes the thirty-six hidden tzaddikim. Such a tzaddik follows the path which “gives glory to the one who

does it.” While service of G-d in this way certainly affects the world through its influence on the higher worlds, a tzaddik who follows this path secludes himself and does not attempt to influence others. This is the way of private, secluded service of G-d.

But there is another type of tzaddik, one who follows a path that “gives glory to the one who does it and glory from other people.” Tzaddikim who serve Hashem in this way work to bring G-d’s glory not only into their own lives, but also into the lives of everyone around them. This is the way of public service of G-d. Both of these types of tzaddikim have their place. The pasuk (Tehillim 96:11) says, “The Heavens will rejoice and the earth will delight.” In other words, “the Heavens will rejoice” as a result of those tzaddikim who seclude

themselves to serve G-d in a state of total purity. And “the earth will delight” through the service of those tzaddikim who serve G-d by teaching and influencing their brothers and sisters here on earth. Both paths are precious before Hashem. Both have their proper time and place.

Yaakov Avinu struggled to find his place between these two paths. He dreamed (Bereishis 28:12) of a “ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to Heaven.” On one hand, his grandfather Avraham Avinu was devoted to the path “which gives glory to the one who does it and glory from other people.” Avraham went out into the world to bring all of mankind to belief in and service of G-d. And his father Yitzchak separated himself from the world, devoted to a path in which he did not travel to teach others

about G-d but stayed in Eretz Yisroel and worked to perfect himself. Yaakov Avinu felt drawn to both paths and attempted to find a middle ground.

We see which path Yosef and Yehuda chose based on the Gemara (Sota 36b), which says, “Yosef sanctified the name of Heaven in private, so one letter of Hashem’s name was added to his name. Yehuda, who sanctified the name of Heaven in public, has all the letters of Hashem’s name in his name.” Yosef sanctified Hashem’s name in private by refusing to be with the wife of Potifar when no one was there to see. But Yehuda sanctified G-d’s name publicly by proclaiming, in front of everyone, “She is more righteous than me” about Tamar. Similarly, the pasuk which refers to the greatness of those tzaddikim who give glory to Heaven and increase G-d’s glory on earth also contains Hashem’s four letter name: “The Heavens will rejoice and the earth will delight, yismichu ha’Shamayim v’sagel ha’aretz.”

Rav Kook explains in Ein Aya (on Shabbos 21b) a deeper way of understanding the Gemara’s teaching: “It is a mitzvah to light the Chanukah candle by the door of the house on the outside… But at a time of danger, one may place it on his table, and that is sufficient.” Rav Kook explains that at one time, when we had a Beis Hamikdash and had experienced the redemption of Chanukah, we placed the menorah on the outside of the house to illuminate the outside world with the light of Torah and holiness. That is the way of Yehuda. But in a time of exile, when the dangers of the outside world’s influences press on our homes, attempting to come inside, we lock our doors, close our shades, and concentrate on keeping the pure light of holiness burning inside. We do not attempt to influence the outside world in exile because we have a difficult enough time keeping the influences of the non-Jewish world out. That is the way of serving G-d in exile. That is the way of Yosef Hatzadik.

The Sfas Emes uses this Gemara to illustrate a very similar teaching. In the old days, there was a separation between the nations of the world and the protected holiness of a Jewish home. Then, we fulfilled the mitzvah to light the menorah “outside.” But today, the outside world is now inside. Every type of distraction and impurity rides into our homes through the same devices found in the outside world. Because the world out there is now in our homes, we fulfill the mitzvah to light the menorah

outside by lighting it in our houses. And by doing so, we daven to Hashem that He illuminate our houses with the light of His Torah so that our homes will have the sanctity and wholesomeness that does not exist outside.

What was the nature of this meeting between the two kings, how does it relate to these two ways of serving G-d, and how does it connect to the beauty of the Temple Mount and Yerushalayim?

Their debate was about their brother Binyomin. And we know that the Beis Hamikdash and the Holy of Holies were situated on both Binyomin and Yehu -

Talmai Hamelech decreed that the sages translate the Torah into Greek. This was considered a horrible degradation of the Torah. While it is true that this would theoretically a good thing because “the beauty of G-d goes to Yefes [the father of Greece] and it shall dwell in the tents [houses of study] of Shem [the father of the Jewish people]” (Bereishis 9:27), it could not have come at a worse time. The walls of the Jewish community were down, and many Jewish people were becoming mesmerized with Greek culture. Translating the Torah meant strengthening Hellenists’ penchant for viewing

em’s name in private, where no one in the world can see us. That is the way of Yosef Hatzaddik, the father of Moshiach ben Yosef, who prepares the way for Moshiach ben Dovid. We must light the menorah in our homes in exile before we can light it outside with the redemption.

It is told that Rav Chatzkel Shinover, the author of the Divrei Yechezkel, once had to travel with his gabbai on a very cold and windy night. The two of them were suffering tremendously from the cold so Rav Chatzkel asked his gabbai to make a fire for them. The gabbai took some flint stones and tried mightily, but he was unsuccessful. So the rebbe asked if he could trym and when he did so, a fire started immediately.

da’s portions of Eretz Yisroel (Zevachim 53b-54a). In other words, their debate was about the soul of the Jewish nation, the Beis Hamikdash. Which of their paths in the service of G-d represent the pinnacle of man’s service? Yehuda’s way of redemption, of public teaching and influence, or Yosef’s way of exile, of secluding oneself from the world to serve G-d in purity? Yehuda’s path of “a beautiful view, joy of the entire world” and “the earth will delight” or Yosef’s path of “let the Heavens rejoice”? Yehuda argued that, just like in the time of the redemption, “Yerushalayim will be settled like unwalled towns” (Zecharia 2:8). When we live in the proper way, we will no longer need the high walls of Yerushalayim to keep the outside world out. Instead, the light of Yerushalayim will be open, illuminating the entire world. What is the appropriate time for each of these approaches?

Next week is the fast day of Asara (the tenth of) B’Teves. According to Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 580 and Magan Avraham there), Asara B’Teves is one of the most terrible fast days because it was instituted after tragedies which befell our people on the 8 th , 9 th , and 10 th of Teves. It is so severe that were it possible for it to fall on Shabbos, we would still fast. On the 8th of Teves,

the holy Torah as merely another topic for intellectual study.

The 9 th of Teves is the yahrtzeit of Ezra Hasofer, who caused the Assyrian script we find in sifrei Torah to be used for seforim accessible to the general public. He brought the depth and richness of the Torah’s writing, in which the shape of every letter has significance and every crown on every letter teaches scores of halachos and secrets of Torah, to the Jewish world. Losing Ezra was a tragedy of untold proportions because he introduced a new depth of understanding to the Jewish people’s understanding of the inner, deeper part of Torah.

On Asara B’Teves, the 10th of Teves, the king of Bavel began the siege on Yerushalayim at the time of the first Beis Hamikdash.

These three things share one common denominator. All of them demonstrate how important the walls of holiness are to increasing the depth and purity of our connection to and understanding of the Torah.

The ultimate goal, the way of redemption and Eretz Yisroel, is to break down the walls and spread Torah to the whole world. That is the way of Yehuda, the father of Dovid Hamelech and Moshiach. But that is only possible after we first protect the sanctity of our people and ourselves by sanctifying Hash-

Rav Chatzkel then told his gabbai, “I know when we get back, you’re going to tell all of the chassidim that the Rebbe did a miracle. But you should know that it isn’t true. But Rav Hirsch Riminover… he could do wonders. Once on Shabbos, there was a large storm outside the beis midrash, and one of the windows shattered. The wind was howling through the window and the chassidim wanted to go find a non-Jew to put something over the window, lest the wind blow out the candles in the beis midrash. But Rav Mendel looked out of the window this way and that way and told them that the candles would be fine. Just then, the wind stopped blowing through the window. So you see, Rav Hirsch Riminover could do wonders but I cannot. All I know how to do is to cup my hands over the spark to allow the flame to grow.”

The tzaddikim of the earlier generations miraculously protected us from the winds of the outside world. But today, our job is to cup our hands around the fire of our Yiddishkeit and not to let it go out. We must protect the holiness of our minds, our eyes, and our ears from the impurity of the outside world. And we must fill them with Torah, tefillah, mitzvos, and words and acts of kindness. If we first protect the candle, we can use it to light a bonfire.

With G-d’s help, may we protect the holiness within us so that the Heavens will rejoice and the path will be prepared for the way of Yehuda and Moshiach ben Dovid, who will bring about the time when “the earth will delight,” may it come soon in our days.

Rav Moshe Weinberger, shlita, is the founding Morah d’Asrah of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, and serves as leader of the new mechina Emek HaMelech.

By doing so, we daven to Hashem that He illuminate our houses with the light of His Torah so that our homes will have the sanctity and wholesomeness that does not exist outside.

Delving into the Daf What Makes a Valid Pesach?

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The Torah permits a person to annul his vows with the assistance of a chacham or beis din. One method of annulling a vow is by finding a “pesach,” literally an opening. The sage asks the person who uttered the vow, “Did you make your vow while being cognizant of such and such a fact?” If the person answers in the negative, the sage can permit his vow to be annulled.

The Mishnah in Nedarim (65b) offers a few examples of what constitutes a valid pesach. The sage can ask the one who made the vow, “Did you realize when you made this vow that you were violating the biblical prohibition against exacting revenge or harboring a grudge?” If the one who made the vow says that he did not realize he was transgressing those precepts, the sage can annul his vow.

One may be tempted to reason that no sage is required. “Why can’t I come up with my own pesach and annul my own vow?” The very fact that one can annul vows is based on a novel scriptural decree. To illustrate this point, one cannot apply this logic to financial transactions or marriage bonds. One can’t say, “If I had realized that taking revenge is forbidden, I never would have bought this carton of eggs,” or “If I had realized how this marriage would turn out I never would have married this person.”

These statements are categorically not halachically recognized. The sale of the eggs and the marriage would still be valid notwithstanding his current protestations. There are circumstances when a sale can be annulled, if it is abundantly clear to all that it was made under mistaken notions. In contrast, to permit the annulment of a vow, a pesach does not need to be abundantly clear to all. The Torah still allows the annulment of vows, according to the prescribed methods.

The Gemara in Chagigah says that the proper method entails going to someone else. One cannot annul his own vows even if he is aware of the logic the sage will use.

The Mishnah (64a) offers a serious

limitation to the use of a pesach. According to the sages, it cannot be based on circumstances that did not exist at the time the neder was made. The Mishnah offers some examples. A person vowed that he would not benefit at all from a certain person. Then that very person was appointed as the town’s scribe. A sage cannot permit annulment of the vow by asking the person who made the vow, “If

This was meant as a pesach for his oath. Moshe had sworn to remain in Midyan only because of Dasan and Aviram; he wouldn’t have uttered the oath had he known they would soon perish.

would quit his job and the individual with no experience, who was the subject of the vow, would be offered the job. Therefore, in the Mishnah, the person becoming a scribe was an event unlikely to occur. However, regarding Moshe’s oath, the sad truth is that becoming poor is foreseeable. People may discount the possibility that a wealthy person will become poor, but it is a distinct possibility. Business Insider once ran a story about famous, wealthy people who ended up homeless. One person they mentioned was Ray Williams, who had been the captain of the New York Knicks. He lost his money on investments that went sour and eventually needed help just paying for transportation to medical facilities.

you had known that so-and-so would become a scribe, would you have still made the vow?” At the time he made the vow, the person was not a scribe. So even if he had contemplated the possibility that the person may become a scribe, it would not have stopped him from making the vow.

Yet the Gemara seemingly contradicts this logic. Moshe Rabbeinu made an oath to his father-in-law that he would stay in Midyan. The Ran explains that the underlying reason for his vow was that he was afraid of returning to Egypt because Dasan and Aviram wanted him dead. The Gemara says that Hashem told Moshe that Dasan and Aviram had died.

The Gemara quotes Reish Lakish that they didn’t actually die but they lost their wealth. Once they became poor, they were no longer dangerous enemies. Their scope of influence was greatly diminished; certainly, they would no longer have Pharaoh’s ear.

Yet this would seemingly not be a valid pesach. At the time Moshe Rabbeinu uttered his vow, he was fully cognizant of all the relevant facts. Dasan and Aviram losing their wealth was a new occurrence. Didn’t the Mishnah state that a pesach cannot be based on a new circumstance that presented itself after the neder was made?

Most Rishonim answer that, in fact, a pesach can be based on new circumstances, as long as those circumstances were foreseeable. In the Mishnah, the city had a resident scribe. It was unlikely that he

Dasan and Aviram’s losing their wealth was a new circumstance, but it was not an unlikely one. Therefore, it was a valid pesach for Moshe’s vow.

Likewise, the Gemara in Kesubos discusses the vow that Kalba Savua uttered disowning his son-in-law Rebbe Akiva. The Gemara implies that it was annulled with a pesach based on the reasoning that Kalba Savua never would have uttered the vow if he’d known that his son-in-law would become the great Rebbe Akiva.

Yet Tosfos question the validity of the pesach. It was based on circumstances not yet extant at the time he expressed his vow. When Kalba Savua disowned him, Rebbe Akiva was just an ignoramus! Tosfos answer that it is considered a foreseeable circumstance that someone who learns in yeshiva could become a great scholar. It was a valid pesach, since there was a likely enough chance that Rebbe Akiva, who was at the time an ignoramus, would become great.

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@ gmail.com.

One cannot annul his own vows even if he is aware of the logic the sage will use.

Eretz Yisroel November 2022

Part I

By Hershel Lieber

Combine members of our mishpacha with a family chasunah that takes place in Eretz Yisroel and we have a perfect formula for two weeks of ecstasy. This is what we experienced this past November. To get a clearer picture, an introduction to our family and a bit of history is in order.

Our second daughter Faigy is married to Rabbi Pesach Moshe Grossman. They have, ka”h, eleven children, eight boys and three girls. Moishe, as he is called by our family, went to Yeshiva Yagdil Torah as a child, which was followed by Mesivta at Telz Riverdale. He later went to learn at the Bais Medrash of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik of Brisk. All the time he had a strong sense of his family’s Gerer background and was drawn towards this chassidishe way of life. By the time Faigy met him, he was fully committed to the chassidus of Gur and set his life goals in that direction. After a few years in Kollel in Eretz Yisroel, Faigy and Moishe returned to Lakewood where he started the well-known chassidishe Yeshiva Me -

soras Avos which has been a huge success and a contributing factor in the growth of chassidus in Lakewood. He is an esteemed member of the Lakewood Gerer Shtiebel and had a connection with the Lev Simcha, zt”l, the Pnei Menachem, zt”l, and currently with , ylb”ch, the present Gerer Rebbe, shlita.

When it came time for his children to start shidduchim, his three oldest boys married into Gerer mishpachos from Eretz Yisroel, though all of them have American backgrounds. The two oldest daughters married Gerer bochurim from the States. Four of these five married children live presently in Israel. His fourth son, Yisroel Zev, was getting married into a Gerer family from Yerushalayim, which also has American roots. This was the chasunah that we went to this past November.

Besides Moishe and Faigy and their married children with their spouses, we were fortunate to rejoice together with their grandchildren, our great-grandchildren. Moishe’s parents, Avrohom

Chaim and Chanie Grossman, and Moishe’s four siblings with three of their spouses joined the festivities. Other relatives from abroad or who are living in Israel were part of the simcha as well.

From our side of the family, our oldest daughter, Itty Klein, came. Her husband, Levi Yitzchok, could not participate since his father, my mechutan, was niftar only two weeks before this wedding. Our third daughter, Chavi Feldman, also joined without her husband Volvi. His sister in Montreal was marrying off a child the same night as our simcha. My son Mechel came with his son Ezriel on the same day that we arrived, a week before the chasunah. His wife Leah arrived with their daughter Tzippy and their baby Esther Rochel a few days later. Ezriel was becoming bar mitzvah within days after we would return to the States, and this trip was part of his preparation for kabbalas ol mitzvos. Leah’s parents, Yossi and Gitty Ostreicher, were in Eretz Yisroel at the same time and joined us at the chasunah. Last but surely not least,

my brother-in-law Heshy Daum and his wife Debby, who is Pesi’s sister, came as well. They have joined us for all previous Grossman family chasunahs in Israel. We have an extremely close relationship with them, and we live together in the same community in Lakewood.

We arrived in Israel late Wednesday afternoon, the week before the Aufruf. Our grandson Yeedel from Beit Shemesh promised to get us a driver to take us from Ben Gurion Airport to Yerushalayim. Instead, he surprised us by renting a car and coming in person to meet us. He even picked up some snacks for us to eat on the way! Having someone so close and dear greeting us upon arrival gave us a true feeling of welcome.

By the time we arrived in the city, it was already nighttime. Mechel and Ezriel walked in soon after we arrived. I had rented an apartment on Rechov Minchas Yitzchak, very central to the various locations where our simcha would be celebrated. I had seen photos of the

Rabbi Pesach Moshe Grossman with his single sons. The chosson, Yisroel Zev, is to his right.

In front of our apartment, L-R, Pesi, Debby and Heshy Daum, Mechel and Ezriel Lieber

apartment online but was still surprised how beautiful it was when we saw it in person. The apartment was spread over the two top floors of the five-story building. There were five bedrooms and four baths. Mechel needed two bedrooms, Heshy and Debby one, Itty and Chavi one, and the master bedroom was for us. There was a spacious dining room, a roomy living room, and a large kitchen/ dinette area with all the modern appliances. A very large terrace overlooked the neighborhood with great views of the Ir Hakodesh. The apartment was not cheap, but the value for us was immeasurable. It was definitely cheaper than five hotel bedrooms.

The location was also great. We were two blocks away from Yirmiyahu, around the corner from Shamgar, in close proximity to Gur, Boyan and Belz, and within walking distance to Geulah. The only downside was the steep, uphill climb to reach most destinations. Looking back, though it was a good opportunity for ex-

ercise, it made us think twice before taking a trek. The was a local grocery and fruit store on our block but they were also a bit uphill. Another great feature was the Beis Yehoshua Shul, which was on the corner, a two-minute walk from our building. There were many minyanim throughout the day, both nusach Sfard and Ashkenaz. A very large impressive Kollel used the main sanctuary on a daily basis, and the kol Torah was seductive in beckoning us to sit and learn there. Right near the shul was a nice mikvah, which

was also very convenient for us. After davening Shacharis there on Thursday, I found out that the famed maggid shiur Rav Menashe Yisroel Reisman gave shiurim there daily. His morning Chumash shiur started at 9:15 and

was over at 10:30. I had never heard of Rav Reisman before, but evidently, he is quite famous. He is Belzer chassid and his heimishe Yiddish, combined with his vast knowledge, original thoughts, and sense of humor, attracts a large following. His shiurim can also be accessed

online. I joined the Thursday morning class, which consisted of mainly older and retired people, and was blown away! I was mesmerized by these lectures and attended them daily throughout our stay in Eretz Yisroel.

After shopping at the local grocery store to stock up our apartment, we had breakfast while waiting for Heshy and Debby to arrive from the airport. We began our day by all of us heading to Geulah. Pesi loves this stretch of blocks with the lively atmosphere that permeates that area. I personally am more attracted to Meah Shearim’s quaint alleys and pathways. I love taking photos of the street scenes and its local residents. Bottom line is that we both found ample pleasure in our outing. After a salad at Uri’s Pizza, we took a taxi to Goldie’s in the Ezras Torah section. That store specializes in Shabbos food with a mouthwatering selection of everything one can possible need to make the Shabbos seudos special. We bought food for our Friday night seudah and for that evening’s supper. Shabbos day we would anyway be eating at the Aufruf seudah. We shared

I personally am more attracted to Meah Shearim’s quaint alleys and pathways

the delicious dinner with Mechel

On the streets of Meah Shearim

A street scene in Meah Shearim

A Geula street scene

The Bais Yehoshua shul, where we davened daily

Rav Menashe Yisroel Reisman delivering a shiur

Getting ready for Shabbos in Geula

Friday afternoon in front of the Kosel

and his children and Heshy and Debby. This was followed by an impromptu visit from Moshe, Faigy, their five younger children with the chosson, Yisroel Zev. They stayed a short while, and then we immediately succumbed to our jet leg and went to sleep.

Friday was a very short day, with Shabbos starting a bit after four. Our itinerary was to go to the Kosel and daven Mincha there. We did not want to stay too long, but by joining a minyan in a very private area within the Kosel tunnels, we were treated to a Mincha on the style of Yom Kippur. There was a Sephardi mekubal there whose shtille Shemoneh Esrei took over a half an hour.

We rushed back home with an Arab driver during the height of traffic. I sug-

gested that he go through the East Jerusalem Arab Silwan neighborhood, which saved us some time. We were rushing to have a pre-Shabbos to’ameha buffet at our grandson Azriel and his lovely wife Chayele’s house, which we had gladly accepted. Their five children are all adorable but the oldest two, Gitty and Yakov Shloma, are so mature and open that they immediately connect with us, though we see them at most only once a year.

The clock was ticking away, so we ran back to the apartment. I went with the men and Ezriel to the mikvah, and we all got dressed for Shabbos. Pesi and Debby then lit the Shabbos candles as we headed to shul.

To be continued…

Together with Azriel Grossman and his children

Hershel Lieber has been involved in kiruv activities for over 30 years. As a founding member of the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel he has traveled with his wife, Pesi, to the Soviet Union during the harsh years of the Communist regimes to advance Yiddishkeit. He has spearheaded a yeshiva in the city of Kishinev that had 12 successful years with many students making Torah their way of life. In Poland, he lectured in the summers at the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation camp for nearly 30 years. He still travels to Warsaw every year – since 1979 – to be the chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur for the Jews there. Together with Pesi, he organized and led trips to Europe on behalf of Gateways and Aish Hatorah for college students finding their paths to Jewish identity. His passion for travel has taken them to many interesting places and afforded them unique experiences. Their open home gave them opportunities to meet and develop relationships with a variety of people. Hershel’s column will appear in The Jewish Home on a bi-weekly basis.

World Builders

Bringing Light to Israel’s Seniors On Chanukah

By Raphael Poch

In honor of Chanukah, volunteers from United Hatzalah’s Ten Kavod project across Israel took the initiative to distribute sets of menorahs and candles to over 500 senior citizens, most of whom are elderly and live on their own or with a caretaker appointed by the National Insurance Institute. In addition to the distribution of the Chanukah sets, many of Ten Kavod volunteers visited with the seniors and lit the menorahs with them on one or more of the nights of Chanukah. This special Chanukah visit came in addition to the regular weekly meetings during which the volunteers spend time with the seniors, provide them with a free medical checkup, and spend time with them to alleviate their sense of loneliness and isolation. In certain regions, Ten Kavod coordinators invited many seniors to special Chanukah events made and helped them with transportation in order to get them out of their homes and into a more social atmosphere.

Meir Hayun, coordinator of the Ten Kavod project in Tiberias, took it upon himself to visit an old lady who hadn’t left her house in 10 years. Meir, along with his wife, another Ten Kavod volunteer, and 10 firefighters who joined the celebration, lit the hanukkiah with the older woman and spent the evening singing songs and enjoying sufganiyot with her. The group invited a few neighbors to join in as well. Meir explained that this is just the beginning of helping this woman.

“The Ten Kavod volunteer who visits her is a member of the student ‘Impact’ program and also volunteers for the fire department. He brought his friends from the Fire House, and we brought some other Ten Kavod volunteers and some neighbors in order to help this woman celebrate. She hasn’t left her home in over a decade, and we knew that we

have to help her feel what it is like to be part of a community again. We plan on taking her on our Wish Ambulance in order to have her see parts of Israel that

who never lit a menorah previously in his life, was able to light a menorah for the first time. Our Ten Kavod volunteer arrived at his house with a menorah,

project for the towns in the Hevel Sorek regional council, decided together with many of the volunteers there to throw a Chanukah party for the seniors at a local community center.

“With the help of local community members who donated food, drinks, and decorations,” Shitrit explained, “the seniors who participate in the program from around the region were able to come and attended the event and enjoy a different style of celebration that they usually have on their own at home. The event was so successful, the people from the community who have no affiliation with the project came and joined in the festivities. A photographer came and took pictures and then presented the seniors with magnets from the event to take home as a remembrance of the event. The volunteers sang and played music for the seniors and even the mayor came.

“The greatest sign of our success was that many people who came to the party and were not previously part of the project, now have asked to join and become volunteers.”

Head of the Development Department for United Hatzalah and Director of the Ten Kavod project Ariel Ben David spoke about the special initiative and the joy it brought to hundreds of seniors across the country during the holiday.

she hasn’t been able to reach since being stuck at home.’’

The coordinator of the Maalot region for the project, Yossi Azrad, who takes care of many volunteers and seniors in Maalot shared one of the initiatives undertaken by his team.

“A 92-year-old Holocaust survivor,

candles, matches, and sufganiyot, in order to help him feel the holiday spirit and experience lighting the menorah for the first time. It was incredibly moving for all of us and the smile that the man had on his face during the candle-lighting was priceless.”

Loren Shitrit, who coordinates the

“Our volunteers accompany these seniors throughout the year with weekly visits. We have found that especially during the holiday season many of the seniors are sad instead of happy as they have no one to share the holiday with. Our volunteers made an extra special effort this year to make sure that all of the seniors we visit feel included and had someone to light the Chanukah candles with in order to lift their spirits and share with them the joy of the holiday.”

“A 92-year-old Holocaust survivor, who never lit a menorah previously in his life, was able to light a menorah for the first time.”

A Ten Kavod volunteer lights candles with a senior in Ma'alot on Hanukkah

A Tribu T e To Rav Chaim Druckman, zt”l

By Dr. Joseph Sturm

With his young family circa 1976. His wife Sara is on his left; his mother Milka is on his right. After he and his wife had seven children, they adopted two handicapped orphan girls.

On the eighth day of Chanukah, Klal Yisroel lost one of its greatest luminaries of Torah and pillars of religious Zionism, Ha’rav Chaim Druckman, zt”l.

At his levaya on Monday, attended by tens of thousands in the town of Mercaz Shapira, where he was the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Ohr Etzion for over 50 years, Rav Druckman was eulogized by Israel’s Chief Rabbi Lau as someone who “loved every Jew, every inch of the land of Israel, and every letter of the Torah.” Both President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lamented the passing of “a great spiritual leader” as “someone who was one of the greatest rabbis of Israel and one of the greatest students of Rabi Akiva of our generation.”

Rav Druckman had various titles during his 90 years including rav of his yishuv, rosh yeshiva of his high school and yeshiva gedolah, Chairman of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva, Chairman of Yeshivot Hesder, founder of the Gush Emunim movement, several-time member of Knesset, Deputy cabinet minister, and recipient of the Israel Prize.

and Ukrainians in the streets that day and burned alive in their homes. Eyewitnesses reported that the streets literally ran rivers of Jewish blood. Young Chaim was hiding in a secret crawlspace under the floorboards of his uncle’s kitchen with his extended family. Just as he heard the jackboots of the Ukrainians creaking on the floorboards overhead, his grandmother was unable to suppress a sneeze. In a state of terror, he thought that his life was at an end – but somehow the Ukrainians didn’t hear and cursed that they were unable to find any “Zhide pashiveh” (dirty Jews) in that house. This was the first of three miracles that young Chaim constantly credited to divine intervention.

The second occurred just a few months later, just before the Nazis shipped off the remainder of the town’s Jews to the Belzec death camp. Young Chaim and his parents attempted to flee across the frigid and fast-flowing waters of the Chermosh River into neighboring Romania – the river was patrolled on both sides and was fairly deep. Young Chaim did not know how to swim, and once again, he thought his life was at its end. He almost drowned several times but somehow miraculously made it across.

Rav Druckman survived a terrorist attack in 1993 in which his driver was killed and he was seriously wounded. Despite this, he never lost his simchat chaim.

All of these achievements would be remarkable in and of themselves – and especially in combination. However, the real astounding aspect of Rav Druckman is the way he lived his life, the way he became the penultimate exemplar of mesirat nefesh (literally giving his heart and soul to his people), and the amazing lesson that can be learned from his life about how that mesirat nefesh can lead to almost incomprehensibly vast accomplishments on behalf of the Jewish people.

To understand Rav Druckman’s life, we must go back to its beginning. Until the start of World War II, little Chaim lived the tranquil life of a normal, not extremely religious young boy. All that changed when the War began, and he and the 3,500 Jews of the small, southeastern Polish border town of Kittev (once the roaming grounds of the Baal Shem Tov) were subject to the decrees and depredations of first the Red Army and then the Nazis.

The crucial moment that changed young Chaim’s life arrived on the 8th day of Pesach 1942, when SS and the fiendish Ukrainian paramilitary conducted an “Actsia” (liquidation action) against the Jews of Kittev. Nine-hundred-fifty Jews were butchered in a gleeful manner by the Germans

While in Cernowitz in 1943, young Chaim was able to attend a secret Shabbos minyan with the Skulener Rebbe. The piercing “Shema Yisroel ” that he heard from the Rebbe had a profound impact on him for the rest of his life.

After a year of hiding as an “illegal” in Romania (his father never left his hiding place for the full year), Chaim was smuggled to a port on the Black Sea where Chaim’s parents arranged for him to pose as the child of a different couple who had valid transit papers. His name was called to board the boat that was to transport him to Palestine, but he somehow didn’t hear it. He was initially devastated to discover the ship had sailed without him – until he shortly learned thereafter that that freighter had been sunk with no survivors.

After this third miracle, young Chaim concluded that his life was no longer his and that it should be devoted exclusively in service of his People and the Land and Torah of the Jewish nation.

Eventually, a second ship did transport him to Israel. He began his life’s mission there with literally nothing but a white shirt on his back and a pair of “sandaleem” on his feet; yet just as he had vowed, so he did for the next eighty years.

With HaRav

Avraham Shapira

At first, young Chaim joined the IDF in the Nachal Brigade and took part in the rebuilding of Tirat Tzvi and Sa’ad, two religious kibbutzim that had been damaged in the War of Independence. Later, he studied under Rav Tzvi Yehuda Hacohen Kook where he learned, in his own words, that “the entire nation of Israel is one, in all its diversity.”

After his initial studies, Rav Druckman helped establish Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavne and eventually settled in Mercaz Shapira, were he founded his own Yeshiva, Ohr Etzion.

The amount of dedication to his own learning and teaching of others that took place in that yeshiva is hard to describe. Rav Druckman sat in a study that was lined with thousands of seforim, along with his desk and two long tables. There were pocket doors on the side of the room. Each sefer was replete with bookmarks sticking out of them for ma’areh mekomos for past and present shiurim. Each hour the pocket doors would slide open and a new group of students would pile through and fill the tables for lessons in Gemara, Navi, Chumash and Jewish thought. First the high students, then the students from the local dati mamlachti, then the Hesder boys, then the baal habatim from the yishuv – every hour on the hour from early in the morning until late at night.

All the while this was going on, Rav Druckman could be heard between shiuirim on the phone with government officials trying to intercede on behalf of his religious kehilla. (Why does a grieving family have to subject their son’s body to an autopsy if he was killed in an accident? What can be done to enhance the lives of the Sephardic immigrants in the nearby community? What can be done to help widow or orphan? And on and on…)

Even in his most recent years in his late eighties, Rav Druckman was still giving between 18-25 shiurim a week and still interceding vociferously on behalf of the religious Zionist cause. As his longtime close aide R’ Naftali Kendler observed, up to and including Rav Druckman’s final weeks, each shiur would be prepared anew with the utmost devotion. Each young couple would receive the same joyous bracha, each person coming with sad news would be cried with – all as if this was the first time Rav Druckman had ever done these things. No matter what the public or private issue was, Rav Druckman would give highly focused attention and never become distracted by other matters on his plate – and all of this, while being member of Knesset.

Tens of thousands of students were personally taught by him and remain influenced to this day by his teaching. Among his students are former prime ministers, generals, and prominent religious Zionist leaders.

On each Shabbos, Rav Druckman and his entire family would sit in the student dining room eating the same food as his talmidim. When the meal concluded, he would get up and dance in celebration of the Shabbos with his students. Those present would observe that he danced each Shabbos (and each simcha that he attended) with such exuberance

and joy on his face as if he were the chosson at his own wedding.

When he traveled to the States on behalf of the various institutions he represented, he would do so in a manner that was the most unassuming and humble. All he requested from his hosts was some dry tuna fish (without mayonnaise) and some cucumbers with tomatoes.

The reference to Rabbi Akiva in President’s Herzog’s eulogy was well understood by all those who knew Rav Druckman. The famous maxim, “V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha, love thy neighbor as you love yourself” was the essence of Rav Druckman’s existence. As the holy Rav Mordechai Eliyahu once commented, “One must love each and every Jew – I realized that this is a very difficult task, but I found I had a path to accomplish this: I would love Rav Druckman – and he, in turn, would love each and every Jew.”

As part of his life mission, Rabbi Druckman worked assiduously to help in the integration of the vast numbers of Russian Jews who immigrated to Israel over the years. These Jews were stripped of their identity by the communist system, and Rav Druckman worked tirelessly to arrange conversions for those in need so that they could marry in Jewish ceremonies and once again become part of Klal Yisroel. He also was indefatigable in his efforts on behalf of both Sephardic and Ethiopian immigrants as well – all this done with a singular mindset and a singular purpose: out of a love of his fellow Jew and a mission to strengthen Am Yisroel.

At the same time, Rav Druckman fiercely believed in the need for the Jewish people to hold onto the land of Eretz Yisroel. He once famously shouted at Jimmy Carter, “Utzu eitza v’tufar dabru davar v’lo yakoom, ki imanu Kel.”

Rav Druckman was the author of numerous volumes on such topics as parshat hashavua , yomim tovim, and the halachic perspective on Jews returning to the Land of Israel. An entire generation and vast swath of Israeli society considers him as their leader and mentor.

In his sefer, published in 2020, entitled Kima Kima –Step by Step – the State of Israel – Fulfilling the Vision of our Redemption, Rav Druckman wrote about his vision, “We live in momentous and unprecedented times. We are duty bound to look at current reality with its great lights and many shadows – with open eyes – knowing when to criticize if necessary but also to appreciate the great gift that has been given to us with establishment of the State of Israel.”

Rav Druckman was indeed one of the pillars that made Israel what it is today. He was a giant in Torah, a giant in chesed, and a model of ahavas Yisroel.

He is survived by his wife and over 200 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Zechuto yagen aleinu.

Please note: The above is only a small snippet of Rav Druckman’s life. The reader can, however, extrapolate further to comprehend Rav Druckman’s true accomplishments.

Little Chaim, center, in Kittev, Poland in 1937. His parents, Milka and Avraham, are pictured right. His other relatives were slaughtered by the Nazis in Kittev

The author’s mother, Sally Sturm, pictured left with her husband Isaac, hid in a bunker not far from where young Chaim hid in 1941. They remained together in hiding as children in Cernowitz, Romania, during 1943. In later years, Rav Druckman made an effort to fly into New York for her family simchas. At the time of her petirah, when he was 83 years old, he flew into New York for a period of 12 hours to be one of the first to pay a shiva call to her family.

Rav Druckman in his study at Mercaz Shapira last year with yeshiva students

He was initially devastated to discover the ship had sailed without him – until he shortly learned thereafter that that freighter had been sunk with no survivors.

By TJH Staff

Many hoped that 2022 would bring in a year filled with clarity and calmness. But this year proved to be its own rollercoaster, with twists and turns, ups and downs. As we take a look back, we endeavor to walk you down memory lane and give you a glimpse of the year that was. But, after much thought, we decided not to focus on the challenges that we endured. Instead, we tried to give you a brief overview, TJHstyle, of what took place the past twelve months and bring a smile or two to your face as you remember that there were some interesting, exhilarating, momentous, and even confusing events that made up the year 2022.

$965 million + $45 million

The amount conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, owner of Infowars, was ordered to pay to parents of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting who sued him for claiming that the shooting never happened and that the assault was staged. The first trial in Texas resulted in the chump change verdict against Jones of $45 million. The second trial in Connecticut is where the high rollers table was, with the jury returning a whopping $965 million verdict against Jones. It probably didn’t help that Jones, who recently hosted Jew-hater Kanye West on Infowars, called the Connecticut judge a “tyrant” while the trial was taking place.

Jones has filed for bankruptcy and has quipped, “Do these people think that they are actually getting any money?”

$17 billion for what?

Total amount spent on the 2022 midterm elections. The Georgia senate race was the most expensive, with a total of $215,421.232 spent between the winning Democrat candidate Raphael Warnock and Republican candidate Herschel Walker. (Warnock raised $150.5 million; Walker raised a measly $58.3 million.) The second most expensive race was in Pennsylvania, where Democrat John “Big Sweatshirt” Fetterman spent $73 million to defeat TV doctor Mehmet Oz, who ran as a Republican for this race.

62 = $360 million

Don’t get the math? On October 4, Yankee slugger Aaron Judge surpassed Roger Maris’ 61-year-old mark of 61 home runs in 1961 (yes, the irony – 61 – is noted). On December 7, Judge, the American League MVP this season, agreed to a new 9-year $360 million contract with the pinstripes. The math did not work out quite as well for Cory Youmans, the lucky Dallas man who caught the ball. After turning down a $3 million private offer for the ball shortly after catching it, the piece of memorabilia sold at auction for “a measly” $1.5 million.

49 days to the Omer…I mean of Liz Truss

When the hard-partying British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned in July 2022 due to one too many scandals, Liz Truss, 47, became the UK's new prime minister. She promised to “ride out the storm.” Perhaps an omen, two days after her meeting with the ageless and seemingly healthy Queen Elizabeth, the Queen suddenly died. No, Truss didn’t kill her, but it was hardly a good start to her reign. It quickly became apparent that Truss was in over her head, leading the Economist to declare that Truss would only remain in office as long as the shelf-life of a head of lettuce. Well, it turned out that the lettuce lasted longer than her – literally; The Daily Star live-streamed a head of lettuce sitting on a table, and it was the clear victor. Truss has earned the distinction as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister and the only one to lose to a head of lettuce.

+10–1 = ripple

Although waves tend to ebb and flow, the red wave that was supposed to hit in the mid-terms should have reached tsunami levels. Pundits predicted that Republicans would gain 30 to 50 seats in the House and 5-7 seats in the Senate. But Republicans woke up the morning after November 8 wondering what happened. Although they gained 10 seats to squeeze out a majority in the House, they lost 1 seat in the Senate. Not to worry, within one week of the staggering Republican disappointment, savior Donald Trump – whose chosen candidates for the Senate mostly lost and who encouraged his supporters not to vote for candidates that didn’t want to focus on 2020 election fraud – announced that he is once again running for president and will “Make America Great Again, Again.” Sigh.

5 in 4 for a 6th term

On November 1, after five elections in a span of just four years, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, recaptured his former post for a sixth term. Running a brilliant campaign that coalesced all the right-wing parties, Bibi’s camp won 64 seats out of the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu delivered on his brazen promise to his rival Naftali Bennett to whom he wrote, “Be right back!”when Bennett dethroned him a bit more than one year ago. Even after winning the elections, though, the work was not done yet – the political wizard still had one more Jujutsuian task: satisfying the various faction leaders so that they agree to form a coalition. On December 21, after weeks of negotiations, Bibi reached a final agreement with the multiple parties and tweeted: “I’ve done it.”

8 billion of us

According to the U.N., on November 15 , the world reached a record population of 8 billion. While China still has the world’s largest population (1.426 billion), India is expected to surpass that in 2023. The U.S. population is currently 335.7 million, but with the open Southern border, that will likely continue to rise dramatically.

$229 billion and still no beer

The dizzying amount that Qatar spent to host the 2022 World Cup. The tiny, gas-rich Middle Eastern country, with less than 500 thousand citizens, spent 12 years preparing to host the soccer World Cup by building 7 new soccer stadiums, an entire train system, numerous hotels, and many hospitals. Despite all of the amenities, the approximately one million fans who attended the games could not enjoy the simplest pleasure of all: a cold one while watching the game. A mere two days before the games began, Qatar reversed course and banned all sales of beer or other alcoholic beverages at the games. Although FIFA, soccer’s governing body, was caught FIFAFLat footed by the decision – especially since Budweiser paid $75 million to be the official sponsor of the games – it’s not like they were able to skip town and glay the games at Gan Soccer or something like that. Budweiser captured the moment best by tweeting moments after the announcement: “Well, this is awkward…”

FIFA was more diplomatic by assuring that sales of non-alcoholic Bud Zero was still being offered at the stadiums. If you are unsure what Bud Zero is, you are in good company…along with the rest of the universe.

23 at 45

After 22 seasons as the preeminent quarterback in the NFL, Tom Brady, who was the 199th pick in the 2000 draft, announced his retirement from the NFL on February 1. Not to worry, the plan was for a seamless transition to the broadcast booth where Brady was set to make $315 million. “I played for the name on the front of my jersey and the name on the back of my jersey,” Brady noted in his retirement message. “I love you all. Thank you ALL for making this incredible journey possible,” he added. But, within 40 days, Brady announced that he had “unfinished business” on the field and was returning for his 23rd season. At 45, Brady, who has an NFL player record of 7 Super Bowl rings, is now the oldest player in the league by 5 years.

$1.7 trillion behemoth

In their final act before the new year, Washington politicians passed a whopping nearly two-trillion-dollars federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Of the funds, $772.5 billion are for non-defense, domestic programs. By comparison, the entire federal budget in 1960 was $92.5 billion, and in 1980, it was $579 billion. Eighteen Republican senators joined Republican Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell in supporting the mammoth budget. The bill includes close to $800 million for migrant services. The 4,155-page budget also has more than $5.4 billion set aside for politicians’ pet projects. Your tax dollars hard at work.

$16 billion to zero

Wild-haired Sam Bankman-Fried, affectionately known as “SBF” or “King of Crypto,” started and ran the crypto trading platform FTX. At its peak, last spring, SBF had an estimated value of $26 billion. He donated $160 million to Democrat politicians in the past and promised to donate a billion to them this year. The 30-year-old was living the high life in the Bahamas along with his cadre of crypto billionaires. But everything came crashing down in November 2022, when there was a selloff at FTX, and the trading platform could not come up with the money. His company went bankrupt, and SBF’s worth went from $16 billion to zero in one day. However, that was only the start of his problems. On December 12, SBF, who had a Whatsapp chat with his inner circle called “Wire Fraud,” was indicted on numerous federal charges, including wire fraud (maybe he is not such a genius after all). His former girlfriend, who ran the fund that allegedly was used to siphon money out of FTX, and another high-level former FTX executive both quickly flipped and pleaded guilty to federal criminal fraud charges, thus tightening the legal noose around SBF. If convicted of all charges, SBF faces up to 115 years in prison.

Get a LIV!

Golf star Phil Mickelson and 16 other professional golfers were suspended in June by the PGA after they played for LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabia funded start-up golf tour competing with the PGA. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan accused the players of turning their backs on the PGA and violating a regulation that prohibits them from competing in non-PGA events. LIV Golf hit back, stating, “This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London and beyond.”

It’s hard to blame the golfers for joining LIV Golf – it has been handing out money like drunken sailors. Phil Mickelson was given a reported $200 million to play in LIV events. Tiger Woods was reportedly offered $800 million from the oil-rich country but turned it down. LIV Golf is certainly playing a “long game” – tickets for their tournament this summer in Bedminster, N.J., were selling on the secondary market for as low as $1.

Unmasked:

A Bounced Ball:

When

tennis great Novak Djokovic showed up in Australia in January 2022 to try and win his 10th Australian Open, authorities detained and then deported him. His crime? Refusing to get the Covid vaccine. Australian authorities ruled that since he is a celebrity who is an anti-vaxxer, he could be seen as an icon for those opposed to getting the jab. Djokovic remained holed up in Australia’s immigration detention hotel for 10 days while fighting the decision. When an Australian court ruled against him, he was deported back to his native Serbia and banned from entering Australia for three years. However, the Australian government has since reversed that ban and announced that the 21-time Tennis Grand Slam winner will be allowed to participate in the 2023 Australian Open, despite still not getting the Covid vaccine.

On April 20, months after Covid had waned and further evidence came out that flimsy, bacterial-infected masks were not of much use in the first place, a federal judge tossed the Biden administration’s mask mandate on planes. Jubilant videos of passengers ditching their facial diapers mid-flight quickly went viral. Some videos even showed flight attendants making joyous announcements about the end of the mask mandate. However, it was hard to discern whether those flight attendant announcements were sincere or merely an effort by these members of the “mask politburo” to blend back into normal society now that they could no longer wield their “Excuseme-Sir-fix-your-mask” powers.

Roe v. Wade

overturned: On June 24, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, overturned Roe v. Wade, which conservatives for decades have been arguing was a faulty ruling in the first place. The real drama, though, began several months earlier when, in an unprecedented Supreme Court leak, the text of the decision overturning Roe was disclosed to the media, resulting in vile protests by the left, fulfilling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) warning to conservative Supreme Court justices in March 2020 when he declared, “I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” Several weeks after the decision was leaked, police arrested a man outside Justice Kavanaugh’s home with a pistol, extra ammunition, and tactical gear. He admitted that he was there to assassinate the Supreme Court justice and that he also intended to kill two other conservative justices.

Royal Flush:

People in England love the British monarchy so much that they even love their new King – hardly a lovable fuzzball. Even more beloved are Prince Williams and Princess Kate, who was recently bestowed with the honorary title of Colonel of the Irish Guards by her father-inlaw. But two people whom Brits can do without are Harry and Meghan. Since accusing the Royal Family of harboring racist animus against her (she is a white actress, but her mother is black), things continued to go south, even after the couple gave up their royal duties and jumped across the pond to live like regular people…in their $15 million Montecito estate in California. Meghan and Harry’s recent Netflix documentary contains numerous accusations against the Royals, including a contention that Harry’s only sibling Prince William (with whom he seemed to have a close bond before marrying Meghan) bullied him and is not as good of a guy as he seems. Well, the Brits are not hearing of it. According to a recent survey, nearly 80% of Brits have a favorable view of Prince William and Princess Kate. Only 33% have a favorable view of Harry; his wife Meghan is even less beloved, with only 25% having a positive view of her. This is beginning to look like, “You didn’t quit; you’re fired!”

Un-Cheneyed:

Liz Cheney was resoundingly defeated in Wyoming’s GOP primary this year after serving three terms in Congress. Voters’ discontent with Cheney began after she pivoted from her conservative values and became singularly focused on tearing down President Trump, likely due to his criticism of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. Liz served as the co-chair of the January 6th Committee, which just wrapped up its hearings after voting to refer criminal charges against Trump. Although many in the Republican Party no longer back Trump, Liz Cheney was undoubtedly an imperfect messenger – many consider her father to be a warmonger who pushed Pres. George W. Bush to invade Iraq based on false pretenses, resulting in the loss of thousands of American soldiers. Trump’s loose lips and jittery Twitter thumbs pale in comparison.

Terrorist Eliminated

It was curtains for terrorist leader

Ayman al-Zawahiri this summer when the senior al-Qaeda leader went onto his balcony in his home in Kabul. A drone strike precisely eliminated the man who had a $25 million bounty on his head. “I authorized a precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield, once and for all,” U.S. President Joe Biden said after Zawahiri was killed. The terrorist had helped to found the Egyptian Islamic Jihad militant group and ultimately rose the ranks of the terrorism elites to become Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man. The “operational brains” behind the 9/11 attacks in 2001, his bloody fingerprints were on other horrific attacks around the world, including attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in which 223 people were killed. On the run for many years, Zawahiri would produce videos urging his followers to kill and attack infidels. He ultimately found refuge in Taliban territory, but that is where the terrorist leader met his ultimate end.

A Hefty Pink

Slip:

After two years of running Disney into the ground, the company in November fired CEO Bob Chapek. During his reign, Disney lost 27% of its value, and the one-day admittance fee to Disneyland jumped to $180 (never mind the mortgage needed to buy drinks in the park). Even worse, Disney became the face of woke corporations, with Chapek as its proud Woke Captain. While Disney forcefully condemned Florida schools for not teaching deviance to kids in kindergarten, Chapek refused to comment on real issues, such as human rights atrocities in China. Not surprisingly, the new woke movies that Disney put out mostly bombed because they stink. Even so, Disney had to pay $44 million in severance to Chepak. No doubt that, as a wokester, he is sharing that money with the underprivileged…yeah, right!

May Be a No Go, Joe:

On August 24, President Joe Biden unilaterally canceled student loans for individuals making less than $125,000 or households making less than $250,000. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the plan would cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. Looking for a giant eraser to take away those thousands you owe for going to college?

You and 26 million other people may have to wait a bit longer. The plan was quickly challenged as unconstitutional and was blocked in several courts. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case in February and will likely issue a decision in June.

Kanye Canned:

After a drawnout mental breakdown, Kanye West was finally given the boot by most of his partner companies after he made vile, Jew-hating comments. The singer is estimated to have lost $1 billion – although he claims it was $2 billion – when he was dropped by Adidas, Gap and other brands he had partnerships with. Although cancel culture is a dangerous trend, when someone praises what Hitler did, that may be one of the few times that being canceled is warranted. In the aftermath of his comments, West was shunned by nearly everyone, except former President Donald Trump, who hosted him at Mar-a-Largo. It’s safe to say that these two self-proclaimed geniuses did not have a very nuanced conversation about repercussions.

Bronco Bling

Walmart heir Rob Walton and his kids purchased the Denver Broncos football team for $4.5 billion , making it the most expensive U.S. sports franchise sale ever.

Rob Walton, who is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, is now the wealthiest NFL owner, with an estimated worth of $60 billion. The late Pat Bowlen, whose family was on the receiving end of the sale, paid $70 million for the team in 1984.

The One

Called “The One,” this 105,000 square-foot Bel Air mansion sold for a measly $141 million to an undisclosed bidder at a Los Angeles auction. Seems expensive? Well, that depends on how you look at it – in 2015, this 21-bedroom and 49-bath hilltop estate had a list price of $500 million. The steep discount price came after the mega-mansion’s developer, Nile Niami, ran into financial issues with this property and was forced to go to auction.

Chief Twitt

After a several months long saga, Elon Musk coughed up $44 billion to purchase Twitter. That’s a hefty chunk of change for an impulse purchase, even for someone like Elon Musk, who is worth close to $156 billion. In a series of missteps, Musk committed to buying Twitter (tip to you mega-moguls: when making a $44 billion purchase, don’t waive your right to due diligence). With his back against the wall, rather than continue to fight it out in the courts, Musk dove in head first, completed the purchase, and became the self-proclaimed “Chief Twitt.” In that role, over the past month, Musk flung open the curtains of Twitter and showed the world how the deep state, big media, and social-networking companies work hand-in-hand to control the political narrative. For how long will Musk, who also heads Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, continue to hold the reigns of the little blue bird? Well, last week, he ran a poll asking whether he should step down as head of Twitter. 57.5% of the 17 million respondents said that he should step down. Not to worry, though. Many of those respondents may be the very bots Musk is trying to eradicate.

Car Smash

On May 5, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé smashed a world record when a British car collector, on behalf of an unnamed client, paid a whopping $143 million for it in a Sotheby’s action. It is one of a total of two vehicles of its type ever made. The Mercedes company still owns the only other 300 SLR, if you are interested.

The Art of the Matter

Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn was sold in a Christie’s auction for a staggering $195 million . Paul Cézanne’s La Montagne Sainte-Victoire fetched a cool $137,790,000. Overall, Christie’s sold a record-breaking $8.4 billion in art this year. Included in that was the $1.6 billion generated by the sale of the art collection of the late Paul Allen, Microsoft’s co-founder.

Independent counsel Ken Starr, whose investigation into the Clintons began in 1994 and continued until then-President Clinton’s impeachment in 1998, passed away this year at 76. Although he will forever be associated with his investigation of the Clintons, his other notable accomplishments include, at age 37, becoming the youngest person ever to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

In his memoir, Starr lamented the Clinton saga and noted, “[M]uch of the drama was tragically unnecessary, in my view, a self-inflicted wound by a talented but deeply flawed president who showed contempt for the law, the American people and the [people] he had used… Yet ultimately, much of the nation readily forgave Bill Clinton and instead blamed the prosecutor: me.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts lamented the passing of his mentor, saying, “Ken loved our country and served it with dedication and distinction. He led by example in the legal profession, public service, and the community.” When asked by CNN to comment on Starr’s passing, Bill Clinton had difficulty concealing his contempt:

“I read the obituary, and I realized that his family loved him, and I think that’s something to be grateful for. And when your life is over, that’s all there is to say. But

I was taught not to talk about people that, you know…I have nothing to say except that I’m glad he died with the love of his family.”

Mikhail Gorbachev,

the Sovi et leader who presided over the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, died on August 30 at 91. Loved by the West and reviled by many in Russia – including Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin, who did not attend the funeral – Gorbachev was remembered by U.S. President Joe Biden as “a man of remarkable vision.” Gorbachev, who was in power for six years, is largely credited with Russia’s “glasnost” policy which allowed oppressed Russian Jews access to Jewish books and eventually to emigrate. This policy came after U.S. Pres. Ronald Reagan encouraged Gorbachev to change the Soviet Union’s anti-Semitic ways. At one meeting, Reagan famously said to Gorbechev, “I’m not trying to tell you how to run your country, but I realize you are probably concerned that if you allow too many of the Jews who want to emigrate from the Soviet Union to leave, there’ll be a ‘brain drain,’ a loss of skilled people from your economy. But did it ever occur to you, on this whole question of human rights, that maybe if the Jews were permitted to worship as they want to and teach their children the Hebrew language, that maybe they wouldn’t want to leave the Soviet Union?... Perhaps if they were allowed to reopen their synagogues and worship as they want to, they might decide that they wouldn’t have to leave and there wouldn’t be that problem of a brain drain?”

On July 8, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving leader in modern Japan, was fatally shot while campaigning at a railway station. The 41-year-old assassin who used a homemade gun was reportedly not motivated by politics but was upset that Abe filmed an advertisement on behalf of a church that he had a grudge against. The assassin told police that he was upset with the church because his mother had donated more than $700,000 to it, bankrupting the family.

Queen Elizabeth,

Britain’s longest reigning monarch, died at 96, on September 8. During her 70 years on the throne, she lived through the tenure of 14 U.S. presidents and 15 British prime ministers. She also sat for more than 200 official portraits, visited 120 countries, sent more than 300,000 congratulatory cards to people celebrating their 100th birthdays, and owned more than 30 dogs. Although she was a larger-than-life figure, the Queen famously said,

“It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”

Vin Scully

“Hi everybody, and a very pleasant good evening to you, wherever you may be.” Dodger fans heard this greeting when tuning into Dodgers games, starting in Brooklyn in 1950 and continuing all the way until 2016 in Los Angeles. Scully’s 67 years in the booth made him the longest-tenured broadcaster with a single team in professional sports history. During this time, Scully served under nine different Dodger owners, called 21 no-hitters, was the announcer for 6 out of 7 Dodger World Series championships, and worked another 34 seasons after he was already inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

The iconic broadcaster, who died at 94, was forthcoming about what made him so good at what he did. “The game is just one long conversation, and I’m anticipating that, and I will say things like ‘Did you know that?’ or ‘You’re probably wondering why.’ I’m really just conversing rather than just doing play-by-play,” he explained. “I never thought of myself as having a style. I don’t use keywords. And the best thing I do? I shut up.”

In his last broadcast in 2016, Scully noted, “Don’t be sad because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Orrin Hatch

Wearing a mezuzah around his neck was maybe the most overt way that Senator Orrin Hatch could profess his love for Israel and the Jewish people. “It is difficult for me to express the profound reverence I have for the Jewish people,” the Mormon from Utah said in a May 14, 2018, speech on the floor of the Senate. “As a symbol of my respect, I wear a mezuzah around my neck. I have done so every day for the past almost four decades — actually, more than four decades.” Hatch was the longest-serving Republican in the history of the Senate; he had retired in 2019 after serving for seven terms. While in the Senate, Hatch made his love for Israel known. He had traveled many times to the Holy Land and declared the U.S.-Israel bond to be “unbreakable.” Hatch died in April of this year at the age of 88.

A tale of two mothers:

Actress Liz Sheridan

– Jerry Seinfeld’s “mom” – played the role of a doting Jewish mother who “kvelled” over her son while at the same time being so disappointed that he was not yet married…and maybe not marriage material after all. From her home in Del Boca Vista, Jerry’s mom – along with her husband, listening in on the phoneline between Condo Board meetings – would call Jerry to make sure that he was eating enough, sleeping enough, and was doing OK while living on his own in the big city. Her loving nature produced a joyfully neurotic son who never did seem to get married and who lived his life juggling between his equally neurotic friends and his tall-haired neighbor who would constantly lean on him for things like…everything. Sheridan passed away on April 15 at 93.

Estelle Harris

, also died this year at 93. (That's about all they had in common. She never cared for Jerry's mom too much.) George Costanza’s “mom” can certainly take half of the blame for producing such a man-child like George. The truth is, George never stood a chance – George’s mom’s screeching, which was only outmatched by his father’s yelling, would leave any person growing up in that claustrophobic Queens home very emotionally and psychologically scarred. No wonder George couldn’t hold down a job, whether laboring on the Penski file or working for the New York Yankees.

Her onscreen counterpart, actress

Israel/Turkey Relations

In March 2022, President Isaac Herzog became the first Israeli president to visit Turkey in 15 years, as the two countries restored relations four years after the countries expelled each other’s ambassadors. Although Turkey is sympathetic to Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, it has mutual energy interests with Israel. Perhaps even more importantly, both countries are threatened by Iran’s presence in Syria. “Our common goal is to revitalize political dialogue between our countries based on common interests and respect for mutual sensitivities,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. Before then-Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid visited Turkey in June, Turkish authorities uncovered a plot and arrested five Iranians planning a terrorist attack on Israelis visiting Istanbul.

India: BridgeSuspension Collapse

Days after reopen I ng following renovations, on October 31, a 230-meter-long pedestrian bridge collapsed in Gujarat, hurling hundreds into the water below, resulting in 134 deaths. Live video reports depicted the chaos in the immediate aftermath, with survivors clinging to anything they could grab and crowds on shore doing all they could to help in the rescue. Footage leading up to the collapse shows the bridge shaking violently under the weight of the hundreds of sightseers that came to the recently opened attraction.

Iran: Protests Erupt

a fter a 22-year-ol D woman was severely beaten and killed in September by Iranian police for not wearing her hijab correctly, Iranians took to the streets by the thousands to protest the radical and repressive regime. To date, the Iranian authorities have killed more than 450 protesters and have detained close to 20,000 people. The Iranian government recently executed two protesters in Tehran for “waging war against G-d” and hanged their bodies from high cranes for all to see. Many more are facing the death penalty. Although U.S. Pres. Joe Biden has not called for regime change in Iran, the White House did not disavow a recording of Biden recently telling an Iran dissident – off the cuff – that the nuclear deal with Iran “is dead, but we are not gonna announce it. Long story.”

Afghanistan: Taliban and Earthquakes

In Dece M ber 2022, Afghanistan’s brutal Taliban regime instituted a total ban on all female education. Women will no longer be allowed to work in schools, and even young girls will not be permitted to attend elementary school. The U.S., which dramatically fled Afghanistan in August 2021, criticized the Taliban’s decision. As if the brutal regime of the Taliban is not bad enough, on June 22, Afghanistan was hit with a massive earthquake that killed over 1,000 people and destroyed nearly 2,000 homes. The Taliban’s tight control over the country complicated the international community’s ability to assist in the recovery.

War in Ukraine

a fter a Months-long buildup of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border, on February 24, Russian strongman Vladimir Putin sent in his forces to topple what he claimed was a “Nazi regime.” According to reports, Putin believed that his army would overrun Ukraine in a matter of days. But the Russian army turned out to be a paper tiger, and ten months into the war, the Ukraine army is on the offensive and driving Russia out of the disputed land it controlled even before the war began. According to Ukrainian officials, 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed or wounded; 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed; and approximately 14 million Ukrainians have been displaced. Estimates regarding Russian soldier deaths are at odds – according to Ukrainian officials, close to 100,000 Russian sol-

diers have been killed; Russia, though, claims that it has lost 6,000 soldiers to date. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy – who wears a signature green polo and green army pants, even at the White House – spoke in Congress last week and requested that the U.S. provide additional funds beyond the $50 billion it has already given to the war and humanitarian efforts.

China: Xi Jinping Tightens Control:

break I ng w I th preceDent, Chinese President Xi Jinping secured a third term as leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) this year, leading many to believe that

he will rule for life. It is feared that Jinping, who has purged the CCP of all opposition, is following in the footsteps of authoritarian Mao Zedong, who ruled over China with an iron fist for over 30 years until his death in 1978. In a rare public display at the October ceremony of the closing of the last CCP Congress, right before Jinping was voted in for his third term, former Chinese President Hu Jintao, 79, seated near Xi, was suddenly forcefully removed from the dais and the room. No explanation was given for his removal, although he was seen in public at the beginning of December.

Despite Jinping’s tightening grip, thousands of Chinese citizens took to the streets of Beijing and other cities in early December, demanding Xi’s resignation over the draconian Covid restrictions – known as “Zero-Covid” – still in place. The protests were sparked by a deadly fire that killed ten people in the Xinjiang region which had been under a Covid lockdown for more

than three months. Reportedly, the victims could not escape their apartment complex because the government blocked the exits as a Covid precaution. Although the government has responded to the protests by easing some Covid restrictions, police are now using cellphone data to track down and arrest protesters.

South America: A Pink Tide

Much l I ke I n the u. s., in Latin America, there is a sharp divide between the right and left, with power often shifting between the two. Recently, there has been a sharp turn to the left – referred to as a “pink tide” in South America – with the left winning elections in Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia. Among those who took power this year is new Chilean President Gabriel Boric, 36, who supports boycotting Israel. But the crown jewel for the pink tide was the narrow October defeat of right-winger Jair Bolsonaro after his first term as president of Brazil by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the leftist Worker’s Party. The new president served as president from 2003 to 2010 and subsequently served time in prison over a corruption scandal.

Bolsonaro claims that his defeat by a margin of less than two percentage points is illegitimate. This has resulted in an eruption of protests in Brazil, which is Latin America’s biggest economy. Although Bolsonaro challenged the results in court, he appealed to his supporters to protest peacefully. He declared, “Our methods can’t be the same as those used by the left, which always harmed the population, such as invasion of lands, disrespecting property and impeding the right to come and go.” After Brazil’s highest court dismissed Bolsonaro’s election fraud claim, he promised to cooperate with the transition of power.

Antarctica: Famed Shipwreck Found

More than a century after becoming trapped and sinking in the ice of the Weddell Sea, one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks, the Endurance , was located 9,869 feet underwater. The find was made using drones in an area deemed to be the “worst portion of the worst sea in the world” by Endurance ’s Captain Ernest Shackleton, who, along with his crew of 28 men, survived the wreck by camping out on the sea ice until they were rescued.

Dating Dialogue What Would You Do If…

Dear Navidaters,

I’m at a loss for words and hoping you can help me.

My oldest brother (32 years old) was dating a girl seriously. We were all hoping this was it for him. My parents have never been happier and the whole house was more b’simcha the last few weeks when we had a simcha to prepare for. Now, out of the blue, the girl broke up with him. Our family is beside themselves.

She had come to our house a few times, and I really connected with her. I want to reach out to her and ask what happened. I want to tell her how we all feel and ask why she suddenly left my brother. It left us all in pain, and as his younger sister, I myself don’t feel closure and even more so my brother. Is this OK for me to do or is it a dumb move? Please print this question.

Thanks, Ella

Disclaimer: This column is not intended to diagnose or otherwise conclude resolutions to any questions. Our intention is not to offer any definitive conclusions to any particular question, rather offer areas of exploration for the author and reader. Due to the nature of the column receiving only a short snapshot of an issue, without the benefit of an actual discussion, the panel’s role is to offer a range of possibilities. We hope to open up meaningful dialogue and individual exploration.

Moderated by Jennifer Mann, LCSW of The Navidaters

The Rebbetzin

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, M.S. E

lla, you are a really close family and you all feel your brother’s pain at being dropped without an explanation. I’m sorry for all of you and that you feel a lack of closure.

His feelings, however, come first. His relationship with the young lady ended, seemingly abruptly. It was between the two of them and doesn’t involve the rest of the family directly. It could be that words were shared, and you are not privy to them. You don’t know and your brother may not be sharing all the details and content, because he is disappointed and hurt.

It’s not about your pain and hurt, but it’s about his pain and hurt.

Family members should be supportive of him and privately encourage him to talk to her, a mentor, a therapist, or

a dating coach. He needs his family behind him, but he needs to take the steps to resolve his feelings after the breakup, even if it means reaching out and calling her. It’s up to him to do that, and good support will help him take that step. His siblings should not be getting involved, in my opinion, unless they were the shadchanim or the people who introduced them originally.

Supporting your brother is your goal. Be understanding. Give him space if he needs it. Don’t step into the current situation which may indeed need help but not intervention from siblings.

There truly is such a thing as a broken heart, and you are too young to be experiencing it. When one is in simcha mode, it is comparable to flying high. From the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep, you have a bubbling feeling within you with this secret you will soon be able to share with the world: your brother is going to be a chosson! To have this bubble burst in such a sudden and confusing way is very painful.

Oh, Ella, my heart breaks for you and your family right now.

I know you want to take things into your hands. I know you want answers. I wish I had the answers you seek. Sometimes, the answers we seek are not meant to be disclosed. In the story of Yosef, which we read more of in this week’s parsha, we learn this lesson well. Yaakov Avinu thought his beloved son was dead for so many years. Why was he kept in the dark? Why did all of these things have to happen to Yosef? What we know is that Yosef needed to be ex-

actly where he ended up. The decision of Yosef’s brothers affected his entire family.

So, too, here, with your brother’s story. We do not know why the girl he was almost engaged to broke up with him so suddenly. What we do know, and must find solace in, is the fact that all of this has been pre-ordained – and for a reason. Every single date one goes on brings them one rung in the ladder closer to their bashert. Massive disap -

The Shadchan

Michelle Mond

After a very disappointing breakup, many find their bashert shortly after.

pointments like this so often allow the hurt single to take an elevator ride up to the top.

I have seen this happen so many times with the singles I have helped. After a very disappointing breakup, many find their bashert shortly after.

For now, be there for your brother in all the ways you can. You know him the best. Does he love board games and coffee? Movie and popcorn? Karaoke and dance party in the living room? Show him how loved he is, and it will give him the confidence to move on and date the next one, hopefully his bashert.

My heart and tefillos are with you guys! Hugs.

The Single

Tzipora Grodko

Hi Ella, That is so, so difficult, and my heart really feels for you and your family. I’m concerned that your brother doesn’t have closure since this is more difficult for him than any of you. In my opinion, there are no “rules” when it comes to pain and closure needed. I highly recommended that your brother takes any steps necessary to increase closure.

In regard to your own closure needed, I don’t think it’s sensitive for you to reach out without asking your brother first. Right now, it’s super im -

portant that he feels the support of his family along with encouragement and compassion. The Zaidy

Dr. Jeffrey Galler

It’s understandable that you wish to satisfy your curiosity, but it’s likely that your brother understands the reason for the breakup and chooses not to share that information with you. So, my initial reaction was, “Don’t meddle in your brother’s personal life.” But, perhaps you have goals that are worth pursuing. Is it your goal is to get the couple back together again? Or, perhaps, is to find out why his girlfriend dumped him and help your brother avoid those behaviors in the future?

goals. So, you may wish to call her. Then, perhaps on the phone, or perhaps over a coffee, tell her that you enjoyed meeting her, that you want to make sure that she’s OK, and that you had been hoping to welcome her as a sister. See what she says.

Pulling It All Together

The Navidaters

Dating and Relationship Coaches and Therapists

D ear Ella,

Your family is devastated in the wake of this sudden and shocking breakup. From your email, it seems like not only was your brother very much in love with this woman, but you and your family were very pleased with her and the wedding gave everyone a sense of joy and purpose. I am so sorry you and your family are in pain from this loss. In my humble opinion, if you developed a relationship with her, it is fine to reach out but not to ask what happened. Asking her what happened is unfair to her, as it will put her on the spot and make her deeply uncomfortable. I think you need to respect her privacy. You can, however, reach out and tell her how

you feel or felt about her and that you are absolutely devastated that she will not be joining your family. You can express your warm feelings for her and wish her well. That would be appropriate closure for you that will likely ultimately make you feel as good as you can in this awful situation.

I don’t believe that closure in this situation is learning about what happened or asking her for her reason for breaking this off. Relationships are personal, private, and so layered and nuanced that only the two people involved in it can really begin to under -

Those are worthwhile

I’m really curious. Please write back to us and let us know what happens.

stand. She would be giving you her account, or bits and pieces of it, likely to not hurt your feelings because she doesn’t want to say anything negative about your brother. Or, she would tell you her side and throw your brother under the bus. If she truly did break up with your brother out of the blue and did not have the courtesy of a conversation with him, I don’t see why she would be willing to have one with you. Finding out what happened is in your brother’s court, not yours.

Breaking up with someone without the courtesy of what happened typically happens for a few reasons:

1. The person is completely immature or selfish.

2. The person has debilitating anxiety and cannot deal with the conversation so he/she avoids it altogether.

3. This is not actually what happened, and it is the account of the person who was broken up with.

4. The relationship grew abusive or dangerous and the person breaking up had to make a clean cut.

Sometimes in life, it really feels as though finding out why will be helpful. And sometimes it is. But most of the time, finding out why leaves us with more questions and feeling even more unsatisfied because of half-truths and human perspective.

Take care of yourself during this difficult time. Focus on your healing and being there for your brother through his breakup.

Thank you for writing in! Wishing you and your family all the best.

Jennifer Mann, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma healing life coach, as well as a dating and relationship coach working with individuals, couples, and families in private practice at 123 Maple Avenue in Cedarhurst, NY. She also teaches a psychology course at Touro College. To set up a consultation or to ask questions, please call 718-908-0512. Visit www. thenavidaters.com for more information. If you would like to submit a dating or relationship question to the panel anonymously, please email JenniferMannLCSW@gmail.com. You can follow The Navidaters on FB and Instagram for dating and relationship advice.

Sincerely, Jennifer

But most of the time, finding out why leaves us with more questions and feeling even more unsatisfied because of halftruths and human perspective.

School of Thought

By Etti Siegel

Q:Dear Etti,

The teachers say my daughter might have ADHD. That is impossible. She is the most docile child on the planet. She is not running around, acting wild, and causing disruptions in class. In fact, she is totally the opposite. She sits quietly in class, makes no trouble at all, and is a big daydreamer. Why are they saying that she has ADHD when she so obviously doesn’t?

-Not in Denial, Just Disagreeing

A:

Dear Not in Denial, Your daughter sounds sweet and lovely, but she also sounds like she might need an evaluation.

When we think of ADHD – Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder – we tend to focus on the Hyperactivity symptom. Those symptoms are actually more prevalent in boys and tend to be the reasons our girls can be overlooked and not get the help they need.

According to www.psychiatry.org, “ADHD is considered a chronic and debilitating disorder and is known to impact the individual in many aspects of their life including academic and professional achievements, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning (Harpin, 2005). ADHD can lead to poor self-esteem and social function in children when not appropriately treated (Harpin et al., 2016). Adults with ADHD may experience poor self-worth, sensitivity towards criticism, and increased self-criticism possibly stemming from higher levels of criticism throughout life (Beaton, et al., 2022).”

Those are a lot of reasons to get your child the help she needs now!

There are three main types of ADHD:

• Predominantly inattentive presentation.

• Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation.

• Combined presentation.

Girls with ADHD can present differently than most boys.

Many boys with ADHD cause disruptions in class and can’t sit still, while many girls with ADHD daydream, stare at the teacher and miss what she is saying (even though they are bright), have trouble focusing for as long as their other classmates do, take a long time to complete homework and need help staying on-task, are chatty with friends and might tell animated stories, and…many

dread going to school. School is a hard place to be if you struggle with the tasks school is full of.

A child will be diagnosed with ADHD if their symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, distractibility, organizational struggles, and/or hyperactivity are greater than expected for their age and have been persistent for at least 6 months.

But before we jump on the ADHD bandwagon, let’s remember that many children have trouble with impatience or daydreaming. A child also might have other underlying causes for behavior that might mimic ADHD in school. We need to ask:

• Is the child eating enough protein at meals?

• Is the child getting enough fresh air and exercise in a world that is becoming more and more sedentary?

• Is the child unable to focus in class for another reason, such as a learning issues, eyesight or hearing issues?

• Is the child getting enough sleep at night?

(I once had to call a parent to ask if her child is okay, because she went from being an eager participant to a very distracted and tired student who often put her head down. Turns out, baby had just moved from Mommy’s room to a proper crib, which was in my student’s room, and my student was getting up a few times a night to give the baby his pacifier. Lack of sleep changed her! The baby was moved out, and within a few days, I had my old student back. Sleep matters.)

The final question is a hard one to broach, but though rare, as a coach, I have seen a few cases: Is the teacher the reason for the off-task behavior? It should be easy to determine if the teacher cannot control the class, is new and learning on the job, or has a demeanor that is scaring your child into tuning out. Be careful and cautious

and discreetly check out the teacher’s reputation. Be careful not to mistakenly blame the teacher and lose out on a whole year that your child could have been helped.

Getting your child the help she needs is so important. Once your child is diagnosed, you can encourage your daughter by having visual charts, incentives, stress balls, special diets, exercise, signals from the teacher to remind her to stay focused, and medicine if your doctor recommends it. Medication does not solve all problems, nor does therapy. But with medication, a child can learn skills and work though behaviors in therapy, allowing her a much easier social life. (Many older children choose to stop taking medication, with the option of going back on medication, as they have learned in therapy while on medication how to best navigate life, stay on task, and get along with others.) Medicine and therapy should be seen as gifts, like wearing glasses or hearing aids.

If, as you have your child diagnosed, you realize you share the same symptoms, you might join the many undiagnosed women with ADHD who find it difficult to juggle all they are expected to do. You can get yourself evaluated and learn better strategies. Many undiagnosed women suffer from anxiety and depression as they berate themselves for not being able to keep up with what other women seem to find effortless.

Having an ADHD-wired brain is not a problem. The most creative and accomplished members of society are believed to have ADHD!

So don’t be in denial. Look into the matter.

Hatzlacha, -Etti

Mrs. Etti Siegel holds an MS in Teaching and Learning/Educational Leadership and brings sound teaching advice to her audiences culled from her over 35 years of teaching and administrative experience. She is an Adjunct at the College of Mount Saint Vincent/Sara Shenirer. She is a coach and educational consultant for Catapult Learning, is a sought-after mentor and workshop presenter around the country, and a popular presenter for Sayan (a teacher-mentoring program), Hidden Sparks, and the Consortium of Jewish Day Schools. She is a frequent contributor to Hamechanech Magazine and The Journal for Jewish Day School leaders. She will be answering your education-based questions and writing articles weekly for The Jewish Home. Mrs. Siegel can be reached at ettisiegel@gmail.com.

Getting your child the help she needs is so important.

Parenting Pearls

Encouraging Independence

By Sara Rayvych, MSEd

Children, as adorable as they may be, are meant to become independent adults. We enjoy their sweet antics and childish behaviors but want them to eventually be capable of living on their own and raising their future families.

There are many years and much maturing between birth and adulthood. We take for granted some of the steps necessary to “graduate” to the next phase of life. While some aspects – such as most physical growth – are natural and don’t require much finetuning, other parts of development need strong parental guidance and encouragement.

There are two opposing forces we need to consider. If we never give our child the ability to act independently, then our child won’t learn or feel accomplishment. Alternatively, if we push them before they’re ready, then not only will they not progress but fear or feelings of incompetence can set in. Finding that perfect balance is unique to each child, and it may involve some parental support to attain.

I will try to provide various examples throughout but most of this article will be more generalized rather than specif-

ic. There are so many opportunities for our children to learn and develop independence that no article can cover every scenario.

Becoming more independent covers a wide range. It includes everything from a preschooler learning to go to the bathroom and bathe without assistance to a teenager becoming comfortable calling to inquire about a summer job. At each stage, our children will be transitioning from being helped to acting self-sufficiently.

According To the Child

We need to respect each child’s unique personality and specific level of development. Some children are, by their nature, more independent than others. Additionally, different temperaments may be more or less conducive to certain areas of independence. For example, an outgoing child may feel more comfortable asking a store employee for the price of an item than a quieter youngster.

We naturally assume that age is a major determining factor, and it certainly can’t be ignored. In practice, though, I’ve seen vast differences between children, age notwithstanding. It’s not uncommon

to find children going out of order, with a younger sibling prepared for a milestone before an older one. An example of this is a younger but calmer sibling being able to sit in shul independently before an older but jumpier one.

We need to be realistic when creating expectations of what we expect from any given child at any point, not letting the experiences of other children cloud our judgment.

Providing Support

Kids need parental support as they begin to go out into the big world around them. This assistance comes in many forms. Which type of support our child needs for any particular task will depend on the nature of the situation and the child’s personal needs. Choose what support is necessary to best help your child meet their goals. Often, more than one type will be needed as they slowly learn how to manage a given situation.

Emotionally, our children need to know we see them as capable individuals, ones who are able to succeed and accomplish. If we don’t believe in them, then who will? Emotional support and love is one form of assistance that we should

expect our children to need far into adulthood. Having a family that stands behind you and believes in you is a lifelong gift.

Our children need practical real-life experiences in order to learn how to do something independently. Like most things, they will only learn by doing. We can take advantage of appropriate situations as they arise to demonstrate the correct way of doing something. We can also help create the situation, when necessary. For example, we can ask our child to bring the item to the price checker in the store even if we’re capable of doing it ourselves.

Explain in advance the appropriate steps needed. Don’t be afraid to include even minor ones. A family brought home their newborn baby and allowed each child to hold the new baby for a photo featuring just the two of them. The preschooler held her new baby in the picture and then proceeded to drop the baby onto the chair when getting up. It seems nobody had told her that you can’t just drop the baby (the baby was fine and is now a healthy adult). What seems basic or obvious to us may not be so clear to a child. Walk them through what to expect, perhaps acting it out, as needed. For ex-

ample, before your little one lit the menorah, they were taught a few words about fire safety, how to hold the candle, to say the brachos out loud and then light from left to right before returning the shamash to an adult. You should keep it simple but don’t assume they know something.

For some jobs, you will want to actively assist or coach as they do it. Using our menorah example above, we may want to help the child light the menorah using hand over hand (our hand over theirs or over the candle, too) or say each step as they do it. When my children were learning how to do deposits at the bank, I would stand nearby to prompt or coach them on each step. You’d be surprised how much seems intuitive to us (like handing the teller the deposit slip) that isn’t obvious to the child. This can also be a form of emotional support for nervous children who can benefit from the reassurance of having a parent on hand.

Children who are further towards independence may only need a parent quietly standing on the sidelines. Rather than actively helping, the parent’s presence alone is comforting to the child and the parent can do nothing but remain within view. The child is permitted to do everything independently with parents

only intervening if absolutely necessary. Sometimes providing support comes in the form of stepping away. It may seem counterintuitive but sometimes the best help we can give is to simply say, “I trust you” before we leave the room or immediate area. Some children will use a hovering parent as a crutch and not take the

time than to unteach a mistake.

Halacha encompasses every aspect of our life, and it’s a true chessed to our children to show them, as appropriate, the halachically correct way to do something. A budding baker will want to learn how to check eggs before their first exciting batch of cookies. A young pre-Pe -

(so much so that it feels insulting to even include it in an article), children are often not aware of these basic interpersonal skills without being explicitly taught.

We also need to be sensitive to the fact that we live in a predominantly gentile culture that may have different norms than ours. Educating our child on how to make a kiddush Hashem in all they do is a gift to them now and for the future.

full steps to independence as long as they can depend on someone else. In this situation, our presence is a hindrance.

A Complete Education

We have the chance to teach our children the appropriate way to behave in every situation, and this is no less a part of their chinuch. Rather than focusing only on the immediate task, we may want to include other subjects that will provide our child with the full picture. It’s far better to teach the topic correctly the first

sach cleaning helper should learn what is and isn’t chometz so they don’t waste time needlessly dusting the window while eating a crumbling granola bar.

Proper middos are a basis for all interpersonal interactions. Teaching our children the correct way to address others and act with derech eretz is important. Some examples include how to answer the phone, ask a question, wait in line, or take turns. “Please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” go very far and are seen as common decency. While these are all obvious to us

Safety is important as children learn to maneuver their world. For example, a child can’t bake cookies without knowing fire safety nor can a new chef cut an apple without learning about knives and sharp objects. A child needs to know how to safely carry hot food with two hands before helping themselves at a kiddush. A little knowledge can go a long way towards protecting themselves.

Seeing our children grow and develop into the adults they will become is an exciting part of parenthood. With our love and encouragement, the steps along the way can be that much smoother.

Sara Rayvych, MSEd, has her master’s in general and special education. She has been homeschooling for over 10 years in Far Rockaway. She can be contacted at RayvychHomeschool@gmail.com.

There are many years and much maturing between birth and adulthood.

Health & F tness

Not All Smoothies are Created Equal

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

Smoothies are often consumed as a snack or as a meal replacement, as they are both quick and easy to make and transport. While smoothies have become increasingly popular, not all smoothies are equal in their nutritional value. Some smoothies are high in vitamins and minerals, and even fiber and protein, while others contain large amounts of added sugar and artificial flavorings. When selecting a smoothie, it is important to be mindful of the ingredients to ensure it is not high in harmful compounds. Additionally, a smoothie’s nutritional value will differ as to whether it is being consumed as a snack or a meal.

Smoothies and smoothie bowls may be a great choice for a meal, as they are easy to pick up and purchase when on the go. When purchasing a smoothie, it is important to check the nutrition facts label and ensure it is not high in added sugar and other chemicals. Freshly blended smoothies or smoothie bowls prepared in restaurants, such as açaí or patya bowls, are often high in calories. Açaí is a good source of antioxidants, which help to protect your cells from in-

flammation, however, açaí bowls often come with toppings such as granola that is high in sugar or a calorically dense nut butter. Being mindful of the ingredients in a smoothie or smoothie bowl is important in order to monitor that you are meeting your nutritional goals and needs without exceeding them.

Smoothies are also quick and easy to both package and prepare, as they may be transported in a flask. Smoothies used as a meal should be prepared differently than those prepared as a snack. Smoothies used as a meal replacement should contain protein and fiber as well as vitamins and minerals, rather than being largely fruit. Fiber is important to maintain a healthy gut and helps to prevent blood sugar spikes, as well as high blood cholesterol. Protein is essential for the production of hormones, for energy as well as growth and repair of muscles and bones. If consuming a smoothie as a meal it is important to include fiber and protein to ensure your body remains nourished. Fruits and vegetables may also be added to smoothies to provide additional vitamins and minerals, as well as flavor and

texture, however, these should not make up the majority of the smoothie. Eating just a fruit smoothie will leave you feeling hungrier sooner. Additionally, the liquid base should be unsweetened such as unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or coconut water. Adding chia or hemp seeds are also a great way to add antioxidants and fiber to smoothies.

Protein powder, yogurt, or nut butter are excellent sources of protein that may be easily blended and used in smoothies. When selecting your choice of protein it is important to ensure that it is high in protein and does not contain added sugar. With regards to protein powder, select one that is pure protein and does not contain sugar, such as options offered by Orgain or Sun Warrior brands. Protein powders differ in their protein sources – some are plant-based, such as soy, pea or hemp, while others are made from whey, casein or eggs. Whey and casein protein powder are derived from milk and may not be preferable for those who are dairy-free or following a vegan diet. The three common types of protein powder are protein concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates.

Protein concentrates are produced by extracting protein from whole food and are 60-80% protein, while the remainder is fat and carbohydrates. Protein isolates are higher in protein than protein concentrates as they go through additional filtering and contain less fat and carbohydrates. Protein hydrolysates are absorbed more quickly by your body as they consist of protein that is already broken down. When selecting protein powder, it is important to choose one that is best suited to meet your nutritional needs and goals. Additionally, it is critical to take caution with your choice of protein powder as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) leaves it to the manufacturers to evaluate the safety and labeling of the products and some may not actually contain what the manufacturers claim.

While protein powder may be a convenient way to increase the protein content of smoothies, they lack many other important nutrients that may be found in whole food sources of protein, such as nut butter or yogurt. Natural and organic nut butters, such as almond butter or cashew butter, contain protein and heart-

healthy unsaturated fats, however, these are calorically dense and may contain high amounts of added sugar or sodium. When purchasing a nut butter, be sure to read the nutrition facts label to ensure it does not contain added ingredients but is a pure nut butter. Nut butters are also calorically dense, so if your goal is weight loss, selecting an alternative source of protein is recommended. PB2 is an example of a low-calorie peanut butter, which is a powdered form and works well in smoothies. Yogurts that are low in sugar, such as low-fat high protein Greek yogurt, may be preferable for weight loss. These contain calcium which is also critical to maintaining muscle and bone health.

In addition to protein, it is also important to ensure a smoothie consumed as a meal is high in fiber. Adding spinach, kale, frozen cauliflower, or frozen zucchini are great ways to add fiber to a smoothie. These also help to add creaminess and make the smoothie thicker. Bananas, avocados, and frozen mango may also be used to add creaminess and thickness, however, these are all higher in calories and lower in fiber. While they may be delicious options for those on a weight maintenance diet, for those who aim for weight loss, selecting veggies like

spinach, kale, cauliflower, or zucchini may be a better option.

Although it is important to include protein in smoothies when they are being consumed as meals, being cautious about how much you add is also critical. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 0.8g/kg per day for healthy individuals, and this should increase for

tein should be added to smoothies used as meal replacements, monitoring the amount of protein added is also critical.

Smoothies are also a delicious snack, however, unlike those consumed as a meal, snack smoothies should not be high in protein. Smoothies consumed as a snack can be mainly fruit and a lowfat unsweetened beverage such as coco -

smoothie, be sure not to peel off the skin of the fruit or vegetable as this will help to increase your fiber content.

It is often assumed that smoothies should be consumed post workout to help build muscle, but a protein combined with a carb is the best post-workout meal. After a workout, we need energy, and we derive most of our energy from carbohydrates.

athletes to roughly 1-1.2g/kg and higher for those undergoing wound healing. The amount of protein per scoop of protein powder may vary from 10-30g. Supplements used for muscle building typically contain more protein than those used for weight loss. Most Americans consume too much protein and not enough fiber in their diets. Extra protein is not used efficiently by the body and may result in weight gain or will be excreted. While pro-

nut water or unsweetened almond milk. Consuming smoothies high in protein as a snack may lead to an excess overall protein consumption and could possibly overwork the kidneys. Snacks should be lower in calories than meals. Smoothies for a snack are a delicious way to enrich your diet with vitamins and minerals, as it is easy to chop up fruits and vegetables and add them to the blender to make a delicious beverage. When preparing a

Smoothies are great choices for snacks or meal alternatives, especially when commuting. When preparing or purchasing a smoothie, be sure to check the nutrition facts label or carefully select your ingredients to ensure that it is an appropriate choice for either a snack or a meal for you. Most food establishments will modify the smoothie for you. Remember that food and diet is not one size fits all and what is healthy or beneficial for one person is not necessarily right for another.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.

In addition to protein, it is also important to ensure a smoothie consumed as a meal is high in fiber.

Fd for Thought Rothschild TLV

By Nati Burnside

Plenty of restaurants have delays when trying to open. It’s so common that you might be able to think of a few places that are having that issue right now. But when you’re trying to open a fine dining restaurant in Manhattan in March of 2020, delays will really throw your plans out the window.

Tal Aboav was trying to get Rothschild TLV off the ground right when Covid shut everything down. He was finally ready to go when the city allowed restaurants to open… for takeout.

“Trying to make fine dining work for takeout was tough,” Aboav said. “It was basically me working alone in the restaurant and trying stuff out.”

As the owner and executive chef, Aboav used that time to develop not only his menu but his staff. With many restaurants closing for good, he had his pick of the litter when it came to staffing the restaurant.

But getting customers “in the door” when they weren’t allowed to walk in the restaurant was an interesting undertaking. Aboav has made quite the culinary tour of the world with stops in Israel (where he’s from), Europe, and Miami before making his way to New York City. He utilized all his contacts around the industry to build a following for Rothschild on Instagram. From there, he let his food do the talking. Word of mouth filled his outdoor seating (still present with 40 seats) before he was finally able to open his dining room (seats 60) when restrictions eased.

Now, Aboav is really getting a chance to show everyone what he can do. He’s taken the Israeli cuisine as a canvas and used a range of paints from an international palette to create a truly unique menu with flavors and ingredients that you might not expect to see working in concert together. Every dish is well thought out, and you can instantly discern the personal effort behind Aboav’s creations.

When I was invited to experience Rothschild TLV’s unique style, I was impressed by the cozy feel of the place. One interesting feature that you’ll surely notice is that the booths on the right wall are raised up by one step from the rest of the floor. This added separation from the thoroughfare of the seating area makes for some added intimacy and works especially well in the seats opposite the bar where patrons are almost at eye level with the bartender despite being seated. It’s not unusual to see a patron from one of the booths asking the bartender for advice on which of the signature cocktails to order without either of the parties having to move from their positions.

If you want to start your meal with a salad, you can’t go wrong with the Bluefin Tuna Crust Salad. A mound of slaw is hidden inside the interesting combination of the tuna on one side, sliced avocado on the other, and jalapeno on top. The tuna features a delightful crust and sensational texture as it brings this plate together nicely.

In terms of hot appetizers, the Black Risotto cannot be overlooked. Using forbidden rice and a corn cream, this is the best non-dairy risotto I’ve ever tasted because the creaminess is almost unbelievable. The wild mushrooms, truffles, and short rib adds a real depth of flavor to the base and makes it a truly unforgettable bite.

One interesting creation that you might want to try is the BBQ Flatbread. The interesting factor in what might not seem at first to fit on the menu is that they use the Jerusalem House Bread (which you can get as a side) as the base. Topped with za’atar and sesame, it provides a great crunch and a stable platform for the beef, avocado, grilled corn, pickled red onions, and jalapeno. When taking a bite, you’ll get that remarkable “crunch and mush” combination that plays so well together while also enjoying a sweet and savory pairing that speaks for itself.

A recent addition to the menu is the Ras El Hanout Chicken. The name of the North African spice blend is Arabic and

effectively translates to “top shelf.” This dish isn’t just a token chicken entry on the menu. Served with some Moroccan spiced vegetables and couscous, this may be the juiciest and most tender chicken dishes you’ve ever tasted. The skin is crispy and packed with flavor, and you get an entire half bird as your portion so you can appreciate both the white and the dark cuts of meat.

While Rothschild isn’t a steakhouse, that doesn’t mean they don’t have steak, if that’s what you’re looking for. The Cowboy Steak is a great option for sharing as they will carve it off the bone and slice it for you. It comes with a sumptuous demi-glace that brings out the flavor along with a side of perfect fingerling potatoes. Perhaps it’s a less adventurous choice, but it’s done so well that you likely won’t regret it regardless.

Rothschild TLV is certainly on par with the top restaurants in the city. That list may be highly populated with steakhouses, but an entry like this one is certainly a welcomed change of pace.

Rothschild TLV

Meat - Modern Israeli Fusion - Waiter Service

Sunday - Thursday: 12:00pm - 10:30pm Saturday: 90 minutes after shabbat - 11:00pm (917)-341-4169 • RTRestaurant.com 1129 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10075

Orthodox Union (OU)

In The K tchen

Lemon Ginger Jam Chicken

By Naomi Nachman

Ingredients

◦ 8 pieces pargiyot

◦ Salt and pepper

◦ 2 tablespoons olive oil

Glaze

◦ 2 jars lemon ginger jam by Tuscanini

◦ 2 tablespoons olive oil

◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

◦ 2 lemons cut into 8 slices

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Place chicken in a large baking pan and season both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze:

5. In a small saucepan on low heat, add in the 2 jars of jam, salt and oil and slowly heat till it become runny. Add in the lemon slices and cook on low for 10 minutes.

6. After the chicken is cooked, pour the glaze over the chicken, and bake for another 20 minutes.

7. When serving, place a piece of lemon as a garnish on each piece of chicken.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/ New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet. com or at (516) 295-9669.

Mind Y ur

Dr. Rich Roberts: Love and Respect Your Employees

This column features business insights from a recent “Mind Your Business with Yitzchok Saftlas”

“Mind Your Business”

–broadcasting since 2015 – features interviews with Fortune 500 executives, business leaders and marketing gurus.

former CEO of Apple and Pepsi; Dick Schulze, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Best Buy;

Beth Comstock,

Vice Chair of GE;

over 400+ senior-level executives and business celebrities. Yitzchok Saftlas, president of Bottom Line Marketing Group,

weekly “Mind Your Business” show, which airs at 10pm every Sunday night on 710 WOR and throughout America on the iHeartRadio Network.

On a recent 710 WOR “Mind Your Business” broadcast, Yitzchok Saftlas (YS) spoke with guest Dr. Rich Roberts, the former pharmaceutical CEO of URL Pharma, on the subject of management fundamentals.

* * *

YS: What are the tips and tricks to be a great manager and to delegate effectively?

RR: When you’re an entrepreneurial, one-person company starting out, you’re doing everything yourself. Eventually, you’ll need to hire a few more people if you’re fortunate enough to grow, but you’re still going to have a finger in everything. But when you reach 50-100

employees and you’re still trying to have a finger in everything, your company will collapse. Not only will it collapse, but you’ll be communicating to employees that they don’t really matter because you’re going to step in and just do the work if they don’t. So, if you want to grow as a company, you’re going to need to be able to delegate. You need to be able to transition from when you did everything yourself to now getting other people to work in their areas of expertise. And then you have to hold them accountable for what they’re doing. As you back off from areas, you’re going to need to have written measures of how well that area is doing to the best degree of detail possible.

It’s a classic business 101 case of the Mom-and-Pop company that started from

nothing goes to a $50 million a year corporation, and then goes out of business because Mom and Pop tried to do everything. Part of that is understanding that you don’t know everything. I have a history of being able to understand most things, whether it be quantum mechanics, chemistry, pathophysiology, medications, and other things, but I never went to business school. So, I held no illusions over the fact that I don’t know finance. I certainly learned finance from different chief financial officers I’ve had over the years, but even with everything I know now, I don’t know it nearly as well as a financial expert does. When it comes to marketing, Mom and Pop might think it’s the same as just trying to go and sell or putting an advertisement in a publication.

But marketing goes way deeper than that. There’s all kinds of analyses and research that’s done on understanding your customer base, competition, products, etc. In every area, there’s a tremendous amount of knowledge that the Mom-and-Pop entrepreneur doesn’t have. As you grow and bring in people with higher levels of expertise, you need to be able to delegate to them and give them ownership over the process. Let them feel that they are responsible. But you, as the person above them, are going to have written deliverables that they’re measured against, to make sure that they’re getting it done. And many times, it becomes difficult to measure. For example, in business development, you might say the person has to get five development deals a year. Well,

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Dr. Rich Roberts

how good are those deals? How advantageous are they? Maybe the lousy deals can end up losing money years down the road. It’s not so simple in many areas.

When you delegate, you have to give people ownership of their areas. Hold them responsible. Don’t let them put it on the people below them. You can add your ideas and ask questions, but you can’t go in, do the work, and take control.

Perhaps you could explain the idea of “transference” and how it can be applied to the business world.

“Transference” is a term in psychiatry (though it’s not solely a psychiatric issue) where early in a person’s childhood when their personality is developing, if they had to deal with difficult recurring situations, they will have developed techniques to cope. For example, if their parents are not so healthy, the child must develop certain techniques or approaches in order to cope with their parents’ deficiencies. And later in life, this person has a personality disorder, because this same technique they were doing as children, they now apply to other relationships around them. So, in psychiatric therapy, many times, the patient, as they become more comfortable with a psychiatrist, will start to transfer those attitudes, preconceived notions, and reactions they had for their parents to the psychiatrist. The patient starts to see the psychiatrist as the parent figure and reacts that same way. That’s transference.

In business, I noticed, as a 35-year-old CEO, certain employees (some were even high-powered and around 60 years-old) would react to criticism by getting into a tizzy like a little child being criticized by their parents. And what I realized is that this is the psychiatric mechanism of transference. Sometimes, the employee will see the people higher up on the management structure, especially the president or CEO, as a parental figure. So, if they do something wrong, you need to tell them, but you also need to see if people are reacting to you based on the facts of what you’re saying to them or if they are reacting with emotions that don’t really pertain to that specific situation. In those cases, you have to be careful. If the employee is a good one and you want to keep them, you need to be very careful and gentle with that person in what you say and how you present things.

Now, there are going to be other people that don’t have transference at all. They’re just all about the work, the facts, and getting things done. Then, you could talk more factually. There might also be cases where an employee is transferring

their obnoxious, adolescent rebellious period on to you, as someone higher up on the management curve, and I don’t think this is age-related. That person could be 30, 20, or even 60 years old. Then, it becomes insubordination which cannot be tolerated and that person will eventually have to be eliminated from the company. But you need to realize that, as a CEO, especially as a company gets bigger and you become less commonly accessible, people will see you as more of a mythical, powerful figure and transfer their feelings of authority onto you. So, with some people, you need to hammer into them when they do something wrong. Some people you need to be very gentle with.

How do you maintain clear, direct communication when working on a large project with many people?

There are various project management software programs, mass emails, and video conferencing tools you can use. But I think the real key is to first under -

rate culture. The first part is identity. If employees are working 8-10 hours a day in a company, they’re spending more of their life working there than they do anything else. They’re probably not sleeping for more than eight hours a day. They’re certainly not spending that kind of time with their spouse, their children, or on hobbies they like to do. The largest single expenditure of time that they’re spending is working for that company. So, you want to make sure that they feel a part of it, that they identify with it as their company.

Human resource professionals know all about how to do this, whether it’s having corporate picnics or having signs up around the lunchroom. But it’s very important that you know that most people have a natural inclination to want to identify with and feel a part of their company. So, it’s important that you communicate that to them that we’re all succeeding or failing together.

The other thing I would say about

underneath them.

I loved my employees. I didn’t do it because it was good business. I did it because I love them and respect them. But those attitudes are also good from a business perspective because they’ll permeate throughout the company. Employees will know that this is a company that looks out for them. The number one reason employees unionize is not for more money. It’s because they feel they’re not heard or respected by the management. Therefore, they feel like they need representation for protection. So, your behavior and your attitude will set a culture throughout the company.

What is MBWA?

stand how important it is that everyone involved in a project is kept up to date. It might be that every week everyone on the project is going to get together on a conference call and whoever is leading the project is going to go through all the deliverables and issues. But the one thing I want you to know is that when significant decisions are being made, when milestones occur, new information comes in, when there’s any change in course, you need to make sure it’s communicated to everyone involved in the project. Don’t think, “Something new thing came in, and I can get it done this way on my own.”

When everyone else finds out about it two weeks later, and they’ve all been working now on something that’s no longer applicable, you’ve demoralized them. So, you want to have everybody contributing. You need to make sure that they not only have ownership to deliver what they need to deliver, but they also understand their part in the greater project and are up to date on it.

How does a company institute a great corporate culture plan?

There are different aspects to corpo -

corporate culture is that, as a president and CEO, you will set a standard by your behavior, both in front of people and behind closed doors. When I first joined a certain company, there were many gender discrimination lawsuits against that company. So, I didn’t come in there and start espousing or talking in platitudes about ethics, but when somebody would say an off-color joke, I wouldn’t respond. If they said something denigrating to women, I would act like I didn’t even hear it. They would curse, and I would respond by speaking about the facts and content of the sentence or the information. I wouldn’t curse back, and I wouldn’t respond to the cursing. As president or CEO, people are conscious of what they’re going to look like in your eyes, and when they see that you don’t joke or speak in this way, it will permeate throughout the organization. Similarly, if you say in public, “I love the employees” but behind closed doors, you’re just working on taking everything for yourself and giving nothing to them, that will permeate throughout the culture. Executives will see it, and they will set that example to the people

RR: MBWA stands for “management by wandering around.” As I said, when you’re a small company, you’re involved with everything. But when you get larger, there is so much data, people vying for resources, and issues coming into your office. And suddenly, you’re stuck in your office day after day. So, you need to make a firm commitment that, at some point each week, you’re going to leave your office and your cellphone, and you’re going to walk around the office area. Talk to people, walk around the manufacturing plant, walk around the warehouse. You might see some groups of employees sitting in the corner smoking, you also might see people working like crazy. You might see things moving efficiently, or you might see garbage piled up somewhere unattended to. You don’t get to see this stuff unless you walk around. You only hear what’s the vice presidents are filtering for you if you don’t go talk to employees at all levels.

“Your behavior and your attitude will set a culture throughout the company.”

Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

Mommy blog culture normalizes oversharing intimate personal details of your kids — and they aren’t old enough to agree or disagree with it.

- Meredith Steele, 35, of Maine who has over 157,000 Instagram followers and over 922,000 followers on her TikTok account, announcing that she will no longer put up any pictures of her kids after she found out that they were “digitally kidnapped,” meaning her children’s pictures were used by fake nefarious accounts

The attitudes, I mean, it’s just like, “We’re tech bros. We’re tech bros. Of course, we’re smarter. You know, we went to Harvard, we went to MIT, we’re in tech. You just can’t hang. You don’t know what… is going on,. I do all I can not to let any of my investments work out of Silicon Valley.

- Mogul Mark Cuban on Bill Maher, talking about how pretentious people in San Francisco are

I know there’s a war, but Zelenskyy isn’t under fire. He flew to the U.S. aboard a U.S. government private jet, arrived at the White House in a chauffeur-driven SUV, yet showed up wearing a sweatshirt. It’s better than a t-shirt, but I still maintain the proper attire is a suit.

- Commentator Peter Schiff responding to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy showing up at the White House and Congress in his classic green sweatshirt and army pants

He couldn’t at least wear a suit for the people who gave him over $100 billion?

- Tim Young, in a tweet

Civil war will break out in the U.S., California and Texas becoming independent states as a result. Texas and Mexico will form an allied state. Elon Musk’ll win the presidential election in a number of states which, after the new Civil War’s end, will have been given to the GOP.

- One of Dmitry Medvedev’s (Putin’s right-hand man) predictions for the new year

Happy Shwanza!

- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in her final address to Congress as House Speaker, seeming to create a new holiday

I never claimed to be Jewish. I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was “Jew-ish.”

- GOP Rep.-elect George Santos of New York explaining to the New York Post that he wasn’t lying when he claimed during his campaign that he was Jewish; he just meant that he was Jew-ish, meaning a little like a Jew

I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume. We do stupid things in life.

- Ibid., on WABC, apologizing for lying about working for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup and lying about graduating from New York’s Baruch College

He has begun his tenure in Congress on a very wrong note. He will not be welcome at any future RJC event.

- From a statement by the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC)

Where, exactly, does lying about your wife being killed by a drunk driver and lying about your son dying while serving in Iraq fall on the “normal politician bs-ing” scale? None of this is a defense of Santos, who’s obviously a degenerate liar. Just trying to figure out the rules.

– Conservative T. Becket Adams, responding to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes pointing out that there is a difference between normal political lies, such as the ones that Pres. Biden says, and the lies of GOP Rep.-elect Santos

People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority. That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend so they can’t speak out loudly.

- Toyota Motor CEO Akio Toyoda disclosing to reporters that the complete transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is not as realistic as people think

The uninformed vitriol, especially from the left, has been stunning, which proves my point: So much of what passes for news is name-calling, half-truths, and desperation.

- CNN CEO Chris Licht in an interview with The New York Times , talking about the pushback he is facing from the left over his efforts to make CNN a little less left-wing

When I was doxed, someone from Ron DeSantis’s team called me, and she said, “The governor wanted me to give you a message. He said that if you and your family don’t feel safe, you can come stay at the governor’s mansion. We have a guesthouse for you, and you can come and stay as long as you need.”

- Chaya Raichik, who created the Libs of TikTok Twitter account, disclosing to Tucker Carlson that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reached out to her to offer her a place to stay, even though she lives in California, when liberals doxed her because she exposes their lunacy

Bargain with someone in a miserly, or petty way.

- The definition given for the term “Jew” on Google last week, which has been removed by Google which claims that its definitions are supplied by third parties and this somehow slipped in for a day

It’s called a coup, it’s called treason, and everyone can look at the State of Israel’s laws and see what the punishment is for treason — and it is not prison.

- Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a radio interview insinuating that the prosecutors and witnesses who are trying to bring down his father should get the death penalty

I love my son Yair, who is an independent person with his own views. Although everyone has the right to express criticism, I did not agree with the things he said that were published yesterday.

- Tweet by Prime Minister Netanyahu in response

No, I’m homeless. I’m a homeless person.

- Response of a patron of a soup kitchen to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who asked him if he is in business

My best friend said, “Not for nothing is there no box on the census for the Jewish race. So that leads me to believe that we’re probably not a race.”

- The View’s Whoopi Goldberg, doubling down on recent comments that the Holocaust was not racist against the Jews

Political Crossfire

A “Good” War Gave the Algorithm Its Opening, But Dangers Lurk

By David Ignatius

To see the human face of the “algorithm war” being fought in Ukraine, visit a company of raw recruits during their five rushed weeks at a training camp here in Britain before they’re sent to the front in Ukraine.

They will soon have a battery of hightech systems to aid them, but they must face the squalor of the trenches and the roar of unrelenting artillery fire alone. The digital battlefield has not supplanted the real one.

At the British camp, instructors have dug 300 yards of trenches across a frigid hillside. The trenches are four feet deep, girded with sandbags and planks and slick with mud and water at the bottom. The Ukrainian recruits, who’ve never been in battle before, have to spend 48 hours in these hellholes. Sometimes, there’s simulated artillery fire overhead and rotting animal flesh nearby to prepare the trainees for the smell of death.

The recruits practice attacking the trenches and defending them. But mostly they learn to stay alive and as warm as they can, protecting their wet, freezing feet from rot and disease. “Nobody likes the trenches,” says Oleh, the Ukrainian officer who oversees the training with his British colleagues. (I’m not using his full name to respect concerns about his security.) “We tell them it will be easier in battle. If it’s hard now, that’s the goal.”

The paradox of the Ukraine conflict is that it combines the World War I nightmare of trench warfare with the most modern weapons of the 21st century.

“It’s hard to understand the brutality of contact in that front line. It’s Passchendaele in Donetsk,” explains Brigadier Justin Stenhouse, recalling one of the bloodiest battles of World War I. He oversees training for the British Ministry

of Defense in Whitehall and arranged my visit to the training camp.

Lt. Col. Jon Harris, the British commander at the camp, states his training mission bluntly: “Learn to survive and win against Russia.”

Silicon Valley Pentagon

The Ukraine war has fused the fleshand-blood bravery of these Ukrainian troops on the ground with the stunning high-tech arsenal that I described in part one of this report. The result is a revolution in warfare. This transformation, rarely discussed in the media, has been evolving for more than a decade. It shows the lethal ability of the United States and its allies to project power – and it also raises some vexing questions about how this power will be used.

One of the leading actors in this underreported revolution has been Palantir, which originally developed its software platform after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to help the CIA integrate data

that was often in different compartments and difficult to share. News reports have frequently said that Palantir software helped track al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, but the company won’t confirm that.

The Pentagon’s use of these ultramodern tools was encouraged by a very old-fashioned commander, Gen. Mark A. Milley, the gruff and often profane chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When he was Army chief of staff in 2018, the service began working with Palantir and other tech companies to integrate data through a program called Army Vantage. Milley was frustrated by an antiquated data system that made it hard to gather details about what units were ready for battle. The Army, like so many government institutions, had too many separate repositories for information.

Palantir technicians showed me an unclassified version of the Army database they helped create to address that problem. You can see in an instant what

units are ready, what skills and experience the soldiers in these units have, and what weapons and ammunition are available. Logistics problems like this once took weeks to solve; now, there are answers in seconds.

“The U.S. military is focused on readiness today and readiness in the future,” Milley told me in an email last week. “In defense of our country, we’re pulling together a wide variety of technologies to remain number one, the most effective fighting force in the world.”

The Army began testing ideas about algorithmic warfare with individual units around that time as well. The first choice was the elite 82nd Airborne, commanded in 2020 by Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue; it was part of the XVIII Airborne Corps, then headed by Lt. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla. These two worked with Palantir and other companies to understand how the Army could use data more effectively.

Simultaneously, the Pentagon was exploring the use of artificial intelligence to analyze sensor data and identify targets. This effort was known as Project Maven, and it initially spawned a huge controversy when it was launched in 2017. The idea was to write algorithms that could recognize, say, a Russian T-72 tank in drone surveillance images in the same way that facial recognition scans can discern a human face.

The military’s AI partnership with Silicon Valley got off to a bad start. In 2018, engineers at Google, initially the leading contractor for Maven, protested so angrily about writing targeting algorithms that the company had to withdraw from the program.

Maven has evolved. It’s now supervised by the National Geospatial-Intelli-

Ukrainian soldiers training in Britain

gence Agency, and it generates AI models on a fast, one-month cycle. A tech executive explained to me that companies now compete to develop the most accurate models for detecting weapons – tuning their algorithms to see that hypothetical T-72 under a snowy grove of fir trees, let’s say, rather than a swampy field of brush – and each month the government selects a new digital array.

For a Pentagon that usually buys weapons that have a 30-year life span, this monthly rollover of targeting software is a revolution in itself.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the U.S. Army had these tools in hand – and commanders with experience using them. Donahue had moved up to become head of the XVIII Airborne Corps, which transferred its forward headquarters to Wiesbaden, Germany, just after the Russian invasion. The 82nd Airborne moved to forward quarters near Rzeszow, Poland, near the Ukraine border.

Kurilla, meanwhile, became head of Central Command and began using that key theater as a test bed for new technologies. In October, Kurilla appointed Schuyler Moore, a former director of science and technology for the Defense Innovation Board, as Centcom’s first “chief technology officer.”

For the Army and other services, the impetus for this technology push isn’t just the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the looming challenge from China –America’s only real peer competitor in technology.

A Tool For Good and Ill

In the age of algorithm warfare, when thinking machines will be so powerful, human judgment will become all the more important. Free societies have created potent technologies that, in the hands of good governments, can enable just outcomes and not only in war. Ukrainian officials tell me they want to use Palantir software not just to repel the Russian invasion but to repair Ukraine’s battered electrical grid, identify hidden corruption, and manage the vast tasks of reconstruction.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister for digital transformation and vice prime minister, explained in written answers to my questions how he plans to use technology not just to beat Russia, but to become a high-tech superpower in the future.

Fedorov says Ukraine is “massively” using software platforms “to deal with power shortages and in order to ensure

telecom connection.” To repair electricity cutoffs and damaged energy infrastructure, the country uses Starlink terminals, Tesla Powerwall systems, and advanced generators and lithium batteries. It backs up all its important data on cloud servers.

“For sure, I’m convinced that technologies will also allow us to build a bright

as Western governments. That’s why we need a broader public debate about the power of the technologies that are being put to noble use in Ukraine but could easily be turned to ignoble purposes in the wrong hands.

Ukraine, which has suffered so much in this war, wants to be a techno-super -

the filthy trenches will need to prevail.

Lt. Col. Harris, the commander of the camp in northeastern England, says he’s humbled amid the recruits there.

Through five combat tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, though, he knows he has never faced anything as horrifying as many of them will see in a month or two.

On the firing range, 10 Ukrainian recruits squeeze off shots from their AK47s. They’re on the second day of livefire exercises, with eight more to come. They’re accountants, cooks, and college students; some unsteady with their weapons, others newly bold. As they take aim at targets 50 feet away, a British sergeant commanding the range barks at them through an interpreter: “You need to kill the enemy before he kills you.”

and safe future,” Fedorov says. “Only the newest technologies could give us such an advantage to run and create the country we deserve as fast as possible.”

But these technologies can also create 21st-century dystopias, in the wrong hands. The targeting algorithms that allow Ukraine to spot and destroy invading Russians aren’t all that different from the facial-recognition algorithms that help China repress its citizens. We’re lucky, in a sense, that these technologies are mostly developed in the West by private companies rather than state-owned ones.

But what if an entrepreneur decides to wage a private war? What if authoritarian movements gain control of democratic societies and use technology to advance control rather than freedom? What if AI advances eventually allow the algorithms themselves to take control, making decisions for reasons they can’t explain, at speeds that humans can’t match? Democratic societies need to be constantly vigilant about this technology.

The importance of the human factor is clear with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, who illustrates the strength – and potential weakness –of America’s new way of war. If Musk decides he isn’t being paid enough for his services, or if he thinks it’s time for Ukraine to compromise, he can simply cut the line to his satellites, as he briefly threatened this fall.

Looking at the Ukraine war, we can see that our freewheeling entrepreneurial culture gives the West a big advantage over state-run autocracies such as China and Russia – so long as companies and CEOs share the same democratic values

power when the conflict finally ends. Fedorov, who’s overseeing Kyiv’s digital transformation, explains it this way: “Let’s plan to turn Ukraine into the world’s ‘mil-tech valley,’ to develop the most innovative security solutions, so the world will become a safer and more digital place.”

But first, the Ukrainians freezing in

And it’s as simple as that. This is a war of survival for Ukraine. But it should comfort the recruits that whatever their misery in coming months, they will have a level of technological support beyond anything the world has seen.

Editor’s note: this article is the second of two parts.

Political Crossfire

Where Zelensky and Biden Still Diverge

By David Ignatius

Make no mistake: Beyond the rousing, heartfelt cheers for Ukraine’s brave President Volodymyr Zelensky, his visit to Washington was a war summit. And it appears to have ended with a gap between the two allies about their strategies for ending the war.

By noting these disagreements between Washington and Kyiv, I don’t mean to diminish the spectacular success of Zelensky’s visit. The Ukrainian leader galvanized the world once again in his green military dress and combat boots, moving through the White House and Capitol with the gait and focus of a wrestler who will never submit.

In his address to Congress, Zelensky said emphatically that he seeks “absolute victory” over Russia, the same kind of triumph that President Franklin D. Roosevelt promised as the United States was entering World War II. “The Ukrainian people will win, too, absolutely,” he said.

Zelensky used the word “victory” 11 times in his speech and once during his remarks to reporters at the White House after his meeting with President Biden. Tellingly, Biden didn’t use the word a single time. Instead, he promised support for Ukraine’s “unbreakable determination…to choose their own path” and pledged: “We will stay with you for as long as it takes.”

Zelensky’s invocation of FDR recalled another war summit – the January 1943 conference in Casablanca between Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. It was at this meeting that Roosevelt first declared that his aim was the “unconditional surrender” of the Axis enemies. “Peace can come to the world only by the total elimination of German and Japanese war power,” Roosevelt said.

This war almost surely won’t end with the total elimination of Russian war

power, which helps explain why Biden actively resists the rhetoric of “total victory.” He said so explicitly in Wednesday’s White House news conference, when a Ukrainian reporter asked whether he would give Kyiv long-distance missiles that could strike Russia and provide Ukraine “all capabilities it needs [to] liberate all territories rather sooner than later.”

Biden answered that giving Ukraine such potent attack weapons “would have a prospect of breaking up NATO.” He said that NATO allies are “not looking to go to war with Russia. They’re not looking for a third world war.” Biden put it in terms of what other allies want. But avoiding a direct conflict between the United States and Russia, even as we support Ukraine’s resistance, has been one of the president’s central war aims.

There’s another subtle tension in how these two leaders envision this conflict. For Biden, it’s about stopping Vladimir Putin and what Biden called the Russian president’s “unprovoked, unjustified, allout assault on the free people of Ukraine.”

Once Putin realizes “it’s clear that he cannot possibly win this war,” Biden said, then Zelensky can “decide how he wants to end this war” and seek a “just peace.”

Zelensky offered a somewhat different formulation. Like dozens of Ukrainians with whom I’ve talked during two visits to Kyiv this fall, he appears to see the enemy not simply as Putin, but Russia itself.

“The Russians will stand a chance to be free only when they defeat the Kremlin in their minds,” he told Congress. He described Ukraine’s success as a victory for Europeans – the free, Western world that Ukraine has wanted to join for centuries.

“The Russian tyranny has lost control over us. And it will never influence our minds again,” Zelensky said.

Biden and Zelensky were both asked about peace. Biden nudged his fellow commander in chief, saying, “You’re open to pursuing a just peace,” and that it was Putin’s fault the war continues. “We both want this war to end,” Biden said. “It could end today if Putin had any dignity at all and did the right thing and…pulled

out. But that’s not going to happen…now.”

Zelensky said he had a “peace formula,” which is basically that Russia should withdraw from all the territory it has illegally seized since 2014. And that’s the correct answer, for now.

Zelensky added a more nuanced response a few minutes later: “A just peace I don’t know. I don’t know what ‘just peace’ is. It’s a very philosophical description…. For me, as the president, just peace is no compromises as to the sovereignty, freedom, and territorial integrity of my country, the payback for all the damages inflicted by Russian aggression.” A caution here: Peace and payback are not the same.

The Ukraine conflict is in part an information war, and Zelensky’s visit to Washington was a triumph in that domain. He showed the world what a real-life hero looks like. He offered America, his ally, a battle flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers fighting some of the most brutal ground war Europe has seen in more than a century, being fought trench by trench, yard by bloody yard.

Zelensky got his messaging right: The job for now is to fight on through a cruel winter – and maintain the “steel backbone” that Biden praised. The United States needs to pump in more weapons that will allow Ukraine to hold its lines, and where possible to push the Russians back, and protect civilians from missiles and drones.

At some point next year, the tension beneath the surface in this war summit will have to be addressed. There will need to be greater clarity and convergence on what Ukrainian success looks like, short of “absolute victory.” But for now, let’s take Zelensky’s formula: “Victory, only victory.”

Political Crossfire

The 10 Best Things Joe Biden Did in 2022

By Marc A. Thiessen

This week, I offer my annual lists of the 10 best and 10 worst things the president did this year. Since President Biden gives me so much to criticize, we’ll start with the best things:

10. He acted to prevent a crippling national rail strike

It wasn’t exactly Ronald Reagan firing striking air traffic controllers, but Biden did get Congress to pass bipartisan legislation forcing rail worker unions to accept the overly generous contract his administration had negotiated, avoiding a strike that could have crippled our economy and exacerbated inflation.

9. He is sending B-52s to Australia to counter China

Building on last year’s historic trilateral security agreement with Australia and Britain –known as AUKUS – to help Canberra build nuclear-capable submarines, Biden announced plans to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to a dedicated air base in northern Australia to help counter Chinese hegemony.

8. He launched a “full-court press” against China’s domestic semiconductor industry

Biden blocked U.S. companies from selling chips or semiconductor equipment to China. He also cracked down on China’s “Thousand Talents” program to recruit U.S. science and technology experts, issuing export control rules that prohibit U.S. citizens from supporting China’s advanced chip development – cutting off the flow of Silicon Valley expertise. This will severely curtail China’s ambitions to develop its own cutting-edge semiconductor industry.

7. He signed the first bipartisan gun legislation in decades

Following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, co-sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), that protects the rights of

lawful gun owners while cracking down on criminal misuse of firearms – including incentives for states to implement “red-flag” laws; increased funding for mental health and school safety; added scrutiny of gun buyers who are under 21 or domestic abusers; and stronger penalties for straw buyers and gun traffickers.

6. He secured extradition of the terrorist charged with bombing Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 190 Americans Libyan intelligence operative Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud – suspected of building the explosive device used in the 1988 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland – is the first terrorist linked to the attack to face justice in the United States.

5. He kept Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations

President Donald Trump listed the IRGC in 2019 as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign after he withdrew from President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal. Iran demanded that Biden delist the IRGC before it considered returning to compliance with the deal. Despite his mis-

guided efforts to revive that agreement, Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in April that the IRGC would remain on the list and that the decision was “absolutely final.”

4. He won support for Finland and Sweden to join NATO

While he must still manage Turkish intransigence, Biden got both NATO allies and a 95-1 bipartisan majority in the Senate to support the admission of the two Nordic nations to the Atlantic alliance – a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who opposes any NATO expansion.

3. He killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri

Of course, Zawahiri was living openly in downtown Kabul thanks to Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. But 11 years after opposing the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, Biden ordered the drone strike that took out bin Laden’s right-hand man and successor. He also took out Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi alQurayshi in northwest Syria and resumed full ground operations alongside our Kurdish partners, the Syrian Democratic Forc-

es (SDF), which have kept a check on the Islamic State in the region.

2

. He declared the United States will defend Taiwan

Not once, not twice, but four times since taking office (most recently in September), Biden has vowed that the U.S. military would defend Taiwan if Communist China attacked. Beijing is on notice: The policy of “strategic ambiguity” is dead (notwithstanding White House aides who tried to walk back Biden’s comments each time). It is U.S. policy to defend Taiwan against unjust aggression.

1. He saved Ukraine

Biden’s handling of Ukraine tops both my best and worst lists this year. Here is the best: After Russia invaded, Biden rallied our allies to support Ukraine’s self-defense – providing arms, money, intelligence, and diplomatic support that stopped Putin from seizing Kyiv. At the start of the conflict, no one thought Ukraine could survive; today, Ukraine’s courageous armed forces are on the offensive, retaking territory Russia unlawfully seized. For all the flaws in his Ukraine strategy, Biden deserves credit for saving a free and independent Ukraine.

One accomplishment that does not make a compilation of the good things Biden did but deserves grudging admiration nonetheless: Despite presiding over the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst collapse in real wages in four decades, the highest gas prices on record, the worst crime wave since the 1990s, and the worst border crisis in U.S. history, Biden turned in the best first midterm performance of any president since John F. Kennedy (except for George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks). That is an impressive achievement.

In my next column, I will review the 10 worst things Biden has done this year.

Without question, the most talked about military topic in 2022 was the Russian invasion of Ukraine. From the political fallout to the humanitarian crisis, to the gains and losses by the Russian military, it took the world by storm in February and continued throughout the year. However, there are many other military stories that have made the news and include topics like Medal of Honor recipients, raids on terrorist leaders, and new and improved military hardware and equipment. Here are just some of the many topics that involved the American military in 2022.

On February 3, U.S. Special Operations Command carried out a raid to kill ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qurayshi. Qurayshi had been named as the leader of ISIS after his predecessor, Abu Bakr al Baghdad, was killed in a raid in 2019. The killing of Qurayshi took place in Syria near the border with Turkey after he was identified by an American drone. The leader of the terrorist organization killed himself and several others by detonating a large bomb as the Special Forces were making announcements for civilians to leave the

Forgotten Her es A Military Recap of 2022

By Avi Heiligman

area. An intense firefight then broke out between the two dozen American commandos that arrived by helicopter and ISIS terrorists. No American casualties were reported in the two-hour raid, but one of the helicopters had to be destroyed after experiencing mechanical issues. President Joe Biden said in a public address that “this horrible terrorist leader” was responsible for the genocide of the Yazidis in Iraq.

Qurayshi wasn’t the only arch terrorist killed by the U.S. in 2022. Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was located by the CIA in a safe house in Kabul, Afghanistan. On July 31, two Hellfire missiles were fired from an American drone

while al-Zawahiri was on the balcony of his house. The terrorist was confirmed to have been killed in the strike by intelligence sources despite al-Qaeda denying their leader’s death.

Four soldiers that fought during the Vietnam War were awarded the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony

helicopter that crashed but was unable to be rescued as the enemy directed fire on his position. He waved off the other helicopter that was loaded with all of the other Americans, and he was left in the combat area with several wounded South Vietnamese. After a harrowing ordeal which included fighting off determined enemy attacks, Fujii was rescued.

Kaneshiro came to the aid of two infantry squads that had been ambushed and sustained heavy casualties. Kaneshiro was killed by enemy gunfire in Vietnam.

on July 5. The recipients of the long overdue Medal of Honor were Staff Sergeant Edward N. Kaneshiro, Specialist Dwight W. Birdwell, Specialist Dennis M. Fujii, and Major John J. Duffy. Birdwell and Duffy were recognized for repelling multiple concentrated enemy attacks that left both of them wounded. Fujii was a combat medic who was on a

Marine Herschel “Woody” Williams, the last living World War II Medal of Honor Recipient, passed away on June 29. He was awarded the medal for actions on Iwo Jima in February 1945. While facing heavy enemy fire, Williams used his flamethrower to great effect and on one occasion stood on top of a Japanese pillbox to be able to squeeze the nozzle into the air vent. He silenced the enemy gun and fought bravely through hours of intense fighting.

Many new weapons systems were unveiled for the first time this year, and others were delivered to the military in 2022. The MH-139 Grey Wolf Helicopters were received by the army

After a harrowing ordeal which included fighting off determined enemy attacks, Fujii was rescued.

World War II Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams passed away this year

Al-Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a raid this year

Specialist Dwight W. Birdwell was awarded the Medal of Honor this year

in August and is currently undergoing testing. Slated to replace the aging Vietnam-era UH-1N Twin Huey, production on the Grey Wolf by Boeing is set to start in 2023. The army ordered 80 of these new helicopters, and they will be used for transport and defense purposes.

The M2 Bradley fighting vehicle has been in use since the 1980s, and in April, new models were fielded by the army. The M2A4 was built with lessons learned from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Among its many upgrades from

previous models, the M2A4 has a more powerful engine, new digitized electronics, better armor against ballistic threats, and a IED jammer.

While new ships were being delivered to the navy, the super carrier USS Ford (CVN-78) saw continued delays and rising costs despite being years behind schedule. She finally went on her first deployment in 2022 despite construction starting in 2005 and being launched in 2013. The world’s largest aircraft carrier costs $13 billion. The

reasons for the delays and the costs going way over budget are due to the many new features and innovations that had problems that needed time and money to fix. In all, the carrier has 25 decks, carries over 75 aircraft with state-ofthe-art elevators to save space on the flight deck, and is powered by two nuclear reactors. In the fall of 2022, the Ford made her first foreign ports visits to Canada and England. These are a few of the many stories and headlines that involved the U.S.

military in 2022. Many other headlines with political undertones also made the news circuit this year. Information on the military can be sporadic, especially when covering operations or new equipment that may be classified.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.

The USS Ford cost the military $13 billion Grey Wolf helicopters are still undergoing testing

Jewish History

“Leopoldstadt” and The Bombing Of Auschwitz

by Rafael Medoff

In his hit Broadway play “Leopoldstadt,” Tom Stoppard chronicles a fictional family of self-described “Austrians of Jewish descent” as they are confronted by the rise of interwar antisemitism and, eventually, the Holocaust. The chief drama critic of the New York Times has described the play as “harrowing.”

The real history of the Jews in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district and other Jewish communities in that region is equally harrowing. The Jewish experience in the Austro-Hungarian empire through the centuries veered from relative tolerance and assimilation to blood libels and deportations – as well as a surprising connection to the U.S. government’s refusal to bomb the railways leading to Auschwitz.

Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district was given its name by antisemitic residents in gratitude to Emperor Leopold I for his mass expulsion of the Jews from that neighborhood in 1670. St. Leopold’s Church was built on the ruins of the main synagogue.

There is another city named after Leopold I, sixty-five miles to the east of Vienna. Same namesake, different backstory. In the 1660s, the emperor established a fortress there which later became the largest prison in that part of the country. The town built around it came to be known in Czech as Leopoldov, and then in German as Leopoldstadt during the Nazi occupation.

The latter Leopoldstadt is part of the Trnava region, an area rich in Czech and Slovakian Jewish history and tragedy. In 1899, the year that Tom Stoppard’s play begins, there was a major blood libel case in the Austro-Hungarian town of Polna. A young Jew named Leopold Hilsner was accused of murdering two Christian women in connection with Passover rituals.

Among Hilsner’s supporters was a little-known philosophy professor named Tomas Masaryk. He rose not merely to defend Hilsner, but, as he put it, “to defend the Christians against superstition.” Angry

A picture taken in 1910 in Leopoldstadt, the district of Vienna after which the play is named and where it is set

demonstrations by antisemitic students forced the cancelation of Masaryk’s lectures at Charles-Ferdinand University, but that did not stop him from speaking out in the later blood libel case of Menachem Mendel Beilis, in Russia.

After his election as president of Czechoslovakia in 1918, Masaryk became a strong supporter of Zionism and visited Palestine. He received honorary citizenship from the city of Tel Aviv in 1935, a forest was planted in his honor, and Czech Jewish immigrants established a kibbutz named Kfar Masaryk near Haifa in 1938.

Both Leopoldstadts – the one in Vienna, and the one in Czechoslovakia –have a place in the history of the Holocaust, although in very different ways.

The Jewish ghetto that was created in the Viennese Leopoldstadt in the 1600s was reestablished by the Nazis, in preparation for deporting its 65,000 inhabitants to Auschwitz. An estimated 97% of them were murdered.

The Czechoslovakian Leopoldstadt drew attention in the spring of 1944, because it was an important hub along the railway routes used by the Germans to deport hundreds of thousands of Jews

from Hungary to Auschwitz. That May, two Jewish rescue activists based in Switzerland, Yitzhak and Recha Sternbuch, presented officials at the U.S. consulate in Bern with a detailed list of the railways and bridges used for the deportations and urged them to recommend U.S. airstrikes on those routes.

On June 24, Roswell McClelland, the U.S. War Refugee Board’s representative in Switzerland, sent a cable to the State Department presenting the Sternbuchs’ request in detail. He began by explaining the brutal round-ups of Hungarian Jews and how “people were deported 60 to 70 per sealed freight wagon for a trip of two to three days without adequate water or food, probably resulting in many deaths en route.”

Regarding the potential targets, McClelland listed five specific “stretches of railroad,” one of which was “Galanta-Sered-Leopoldstadt-NovematorTrencin.”

Significantly, McClelland’s cable pointed out that one of the routes was being used not only to deport Jews, “but also many thousand [German] troops to and from the Polish front were transported

daily over this line.” That was important because it meant there was no conflict between America’s war effort and the idea of bombing the railways to interrupt the mass murder of the Jews; such an attack would serve both purposes.

The McClelland cable was one of many appeals to the Roosevelt administration, from Jewish organizations and others, pleading for bombing of the railways and bridges leading to Auschwitz or the gas chambers and crematoria in the camp. One of those advocates was Jan Masaryk, foreign minister of the Czech government-in-exile and son of the former Czech president.

“My government [has] decided to approach all Allied governments with the request to carry out the measures which you suggested,” the younger Masaryk wrote to World Jewish Congress co-chair Nahum Goldmann in July 1944, in response to Goldmann’s request for help in promoting the idea of bombing Auschwitz or the railways. But in a later follow-up letter, Masaryk reported that he ran into “considerable difficulties” when he raised the issue with Allied officials.

The main “difficulty” was that the Roosevelt administration had decided, long before the first bombing request was received, that it would not use any military resources for non-military objectives – even, apparently, when such an attack would also disrupt German troop movements. Sadly, President Roosevelt and his advisers believed the fate of Jews such as the residents of Leopoldstadt was none of America’s concern.

Dr. Medoff is founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. His latest is America and the Holocaust: A Documentary History, published by the Jewish Publication Society & University of Nebraska Press.

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WOODMERE

Great Home on a Cul-De-Sac, SD #15, Features 4 Bedrooms, 3 New Full Bathrooms, Gas Heat, Central Air Conditioning, Renovated Gourmet EIK w/2 Sinks, Granite Countertops, New Stainless Steel Appliances Leading out to a New Deck, Elegant Formal Dining Room, New Flooring, Moldings, and New Wood Bannister Leading to the Bedrooms, Spacious Master Bedroom Suite w/Jacuzzi Tub, Sep Stall Shower, and a Large Walk-In Closet. Generously Sized Den Leading Out to a Magnificent Backyard With a New Pergola, Great Home for Entertaining, High Hats Throughout, New Front Walkway Leading to a Nice Front Porch, New Front Windows

Close to RR, Shopping, Houses of Worship. P.O.R. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT BAY PARK

Six bedroom home in highly desirable Hewlett Bay Park on 3/4 of an acre with an inground gunite pool and tennis court, en-Suite bathrooms and bedrooms on both floors, 1st floor Master Suite with steam shower and Jacuzzi tub, Eat-in Kitchen, with SS appliances, 2 sinks, 2 dishwashers, double oven, formal living room, formal dining room, den with fireplace. Close to railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. SD#14. Great house for entertaining. Park-like Property. P.O.R. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Spacious 5 bedroom 4 bathroom split level in Saddle Ridge Estates Well maintained home home , renovated eat –in-kitchen , formal living room and dining room, den, central air conditioning, hardwood floors, high hats, master bedroom with a custom bathroom and Jacuzzi tub, close to all $995k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE: NEW TO THE MARKET

Well maintained 4 bedroom home on a cul-de-sac in Old Woodmere SD#14. Features central air conditioning, gas heat, eat -in -kitchen with stainless steel appliances, very spacious den, 2 car garage, hardwood floors, high hats, magnificent yard with an in-ground saltwater pool, close to the railroad, shopping and houses of worship. Call for a private showing. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

NORTH WOODMERE

NEW TO THE MARKET

Bright and sunny 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms split level home. Features central air conditioning, gas heat, solar panels, eat in kitchen with stainless steel appliances, formal dining room and living room, den, finished bsmt with playroom and 2 additional rooms, master bedroom –fbth and 2 walk in closets, custom window treatments, new garage door, alarm, IGS, hardwood floors, 200 AMP service, gasline BBQ, new insulation, close to schools, shopping and so much more. 899K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT BAY PARK

Prestigious Center-Hall Colonial in Hewlett Bay Park, Set Back on Private Property. This Stately Home Features a Grand Entry Foyer, Formal Living Room, Formal Dining Room, Chef’s Kitchen, Large Den, Master Bedroom suite with Sitting Room + 2 Baths (His & Hers) and Loft and Additional 3 Bedrooms + Bonus Rooms. Exquisitely Manicured Park-like property. Award Winning School District #14. Too Many Features To List. Will Not Last! P.O.R. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Beautiful, brick, colonial boasting 5 bdr 3.5 Bth in pristine condition. Excellent location, near all! Move right in! RCUSA 516-512-9626

WOODMERE

Spectacular 5 bedroom, 5 bath renovated home in SD#14 with in-ground pool & pool house, lot size 111 x 107. Formal living room & dining room, magnificent kitchen with SS appliances, tremendous den with fireplace and 4 skylights, vaulted ceiling, LED lighting, master suite, new CAC, new roof. Outside totally redone with Stone and Stucco. Backyard with new pavers, park-like property, sandbox, great home for entertaining. Close to all. $1,499,000 Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516.298.8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

FAR ROCKAWAY

280 Beach 15th Large two family. Fully brick. Fully detached. Full basement Low taxes. $799,000 Dm Yehoshua 917-923-0011

LAWRENCE

Exceptional turnkey Mediterranean Colonial style home and beautiful manicured corner property. This home features exquisite architectural details with six meticulously designed spacious bedrooms and four full baths, open layout that allows comfortable living and entertainment. Large dining room and living room with gas fireplace. Beautiful updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances attached to Butler’s pantry, huge closet space and storage throughout. Park like backyard, hardwood herringbone floors throughout. Water filtration system and ground well for sprinklers. A must see! P.O.R. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HOUSES FOR SALE

CAN’T AFFORD YOUR PROPERTY TAXES?

MORTGAGE?

Must sell for any reason? Call for FREE Consultation. Call now 212-470-3856 Cash buyers available!

WOODMERE

Beautifully maintained Split Level home in the heart of Woodmere. This home boasts 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, Eat-in Kitchen, Formal Dining Room, Living Room, a Finished Basement, and an office. Beautiful and spacious Backyard. Great location, SD#14. Close to all. Price Reduced $879k. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST

Magnificent Bright & Sunny furnished 6 Bedroom, 5 Bath Home Prime location in Cedarhurst Features

Dream Kitchen With Granite Countertops, Two Sinks, Two Ovens, Two Microwaves, Formal Dining Room With Washing Station, Formal Living Room. Smart Home, Radiant Heat, Speaker System, Timers, Cameras Inside + Outside, Master Bedroom Suite With Jacuzzi Tub + Shower. Two Large Walk-in Closets, Central Air Conditioning, Gas Heat, Two Car Garage, Great Corner Property, Large Side + Backyard, Finished Basement, Close To All. A Must See. Close To Shopping And Houses Of Worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Classifieds

APT./CO-OP FOR RENT HOUSE FOR SALE APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

CEDARHURST

NORTH WOODMERE JUST LISTED

Move Right Into This Beautifully Maintained and Updated Three Bedroom, 2.5 Baths Large Split Situated on an Oversized Park-like Lot Overlooking the Pond. Home Features naturally bright lit rooms with a Ground Level Den Leading to Patio, With Another Lower Level With Partially Finished Basement. Hardwood Floors Throughout Updated Kitchen With Granite Counters in School District 14 and Close to all Houses of Worship. $949k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

New to the market move right in 8 bedrooms 3 full bathrooms on a lot size 57x112. prime location features eat in kitchen with 2 sinks, new stainless steel appliances, gas heat, hardwood floors, possible mother daughter with permits, close to the railroad, shopping and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

NORTH WOODMERE

This is a Spectacular Home Rebuilt From the Ground Up in 2010. Features Inground Heated Saltwater Pool. Unique Beyond, Very Artistic. Designed by a Well-known Interior Designer. The House Was Knocked Down & Rebuilt. It has Steel Columns, Exposed Vents & Duct Work. Custom Door - Super Thick, Entry Foyer is Laser Cut Acrylic Tile, Custom Closets Throughout. Steel Bolder Sep. the LR & DR. DR has a Custom China Closet, Bar has a Swarovski Sink, Custom Scavollini EIK, Very European the way the Drawers Open + Cabinets Open Upwards. Countertops are Caesar Stone & Appl. are a Wolf Oven w/6 Burners, 2 Miele Ovens, and Built-in Coffee Maker. 1 Miele Dishwasher + 2 Fisher Paykel Dishwashers. Thermador Refrigerator w/Ice Maker. Double Sinks Plus a Veg. Sink, Walls are Painted w/Venetian Plaster. Office w/High Ceilings & Terr. Overlooking the Pool. Magnificent yard, MBR Suite w/a Spa Bath & a Huge WIC. MBR has Missoni Tiles. All Pella Windows & Doors. Home has Cameras, Alarms, IGS and So Much More! Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Move Right In. Totally updated 2BR, 2 Bath, Apt. on the 1st Floor. Private Entrance, CAC, W/D in Unit, Kitchen with SS Appliances, Hardwood Floors, Recessed Lighting, Freshly Painted, Great Courtyard, Parking $95/Mo. Close to Railroad, Shopping, Restaurants, Cedarhurst Park + Houses of Worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-2988457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

LAWRENCE

Extra Large One Bedroom Renovated Apartment In Prime Lawrence. EIK With Granite Countertops Renovated Bathroom. Sunken LR, Dining Room, Close to All, Transportation, Shopping, Worship.$285k or rent $2,500 monthly Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@ bhhslaffey.com

HOUSE FOR RENT

WOODMERE

House for Rent, large 6 bedrooms/3 bathrooms, in prime “Tree Streets” location, available Feb 1  (maybe sooner) until Sept 1, perfect for someone doing a home renovation, call 917-750-6700

APT./CO-OP FOR RENT

WOODMERE

House rental Move right into this 4 bedroom colonial in the heart of Woodmere, with spacious rooms, hardwood floors, a finished basement, and a spacious yard. Close to railroad, shopping & houses of worship $4,500 monthly Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE/HEWLETT NECK

House Rental Magnificent 6 Bedroom Home. Formal Dining Room, New Gourmet Kitchen W/High End Appliances & Cabinets, Large Living Rm & Den, 3 Car Attached Garage, Hardwood Floors, Sd#14. 5 Bedrooms On One Level, Fabulous MBR Suite W/ New Bathroom. gas heat. central air conditioning, long driveway, parklaike property,& So Much More. Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

FAR ROCKAWAY

Spacious very nice 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment for rent. Great location in Far Rockaway. 908-415-5004

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE

CEDARHURST

Move Right In. Totally Updated One Bedroom Townhouse Apartment on the First Floor. Featuring 1.5 Bathrooms, Central Air Conditioning, Washer/Dryer in the Unit, Kitchen With SS Appliances, Hardwood Floors, and Recessed Lighting. Freshly Painted. Super on Premises. Underground Parking is $95/month. This spacious rental is managed by a responsible landlord. Great Courtyard. Close to the Railroad, Shopping, Restaurants, Post Office, Cedarhurst Park + Houses of Worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODSBURGH

Magnificent 2K Sq. Ft. Co-Op. 3Br/2Bth, Eik, Lr, Dr, W/D In Unit, Gar, 2 Stor Units, Elev, Near All $775K 516-846-1032 No Brokers

LAWRENCE

Spacious 2BR, 2 Full Bath Apt with an enclosed terrace in the heart of Lawrence. Well maintained & manicured building. New hardwood floors, updated Eat-in Kitchen with gas stove. warming draw, dishwasher & microwave. New windows on the enclosed terrace & one of the bedrooms. 3 New A/C Units & New Refrigerator. Close to shopping, transportation, library, schools, and houses of worship. $339K Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT

Hewlett House 1 Bedroom Co-op. Unit Includes 1 Parking Spot + Storage Unit, W/D Outside of Unit. Close to Shopping, Schools, Houses of Worship, Restaurants + Parks. Prime Location in the Heart of Hewlett. $109k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@ bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

1 bedroom apartment, elevator building, eat-in kitchen, full bath, hardwood floors, plenty of closet space. Ceiling fan in bedroom & kitchen, laundry room in the basement. Close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship $168k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@ bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Totally renovated bright and sunny 1 bedroom corner unit apartment with a washer/dryer. Features quartz countertops, ss appliances, recessed lighting, bathroom with chrome fixtures, close to the railroads, shopping and houses of worship. Call for details Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

New to the market beautifully maintained bright and sunny 2 bedroom 1.5 bathroom co-op on the top floor in an elevator building with a private storage room. Renovated eat -in-kitchen with granite countertops, lots of cabinets, 2 renovated bathrooms. 2 spacious bedrooms with ceiling fans and air conditioners. hardwood floors, high ceilings , close to the railroad, shopping and houses of worship. Call for a private showing.$429K

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Beautiful & Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment Across From The Golf Course. Elevator Building, Updated Kitchen, Gas Cooking, Granite Countertops, Washer/Dryer In Unit, High Ceilings, Great Closet Space, Storage in Basement, Close To RR, Shopping & Houses Of Worship.$349K

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

APT./COOP/CONDO SALE APT./COOP/CONDO SALE HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

HEWLETT

Totally renovated 1 and 2 Bedroom, Apartments with washer/dryer, kitchen with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances. Recessed lighting, hardwood floors, storage in basement. Close to RR, shopping, and houses of worship. Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

HEWLETT

Hewlett 3 bedroom 2 bath co-op with central air conditioning, terrace, wash-er/dryer, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, magnificent kitchens, ss appliances, l/r, d/r, close to the railroad, shopping, and houses of worship. $300k Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

CEDARHURST

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, totally renovated private entrance , central air conditioning, hardwood floors, washer/dryer, garage parking, dishwasher, recessed lighting, private playground, close to railroad, park, shopping and houses of worship. Call for more details

Mark Lipner Associate Broker

Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457  mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

WOODMERE

Move right in!! 2 Bedroom Apartment, Elevator Bldg in SD #14, Pre War Bldg, Pet Friendly, Laundry Room in Basement, Wood Floors, New Windows, Corner Apartment, Beautiful Renovated Kitchen w/SS Appliances, 3 A/C Units, Close to RR, Shopping & Houses of Worship. A must-see! $199k

CEDARHURST

1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment, elevator building, eat-in kitchen, spacious rooms throughout, laundry room on-premises, garage parking, close to all

Mark Lipner Associate Broker Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International 516-298-8457 mlipner@bhhslaffey.com

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

INWOOD

Storefront/Office for LEASE: Bayview Ave corner Lawrence. Street parking 600+SF - Available immediately. Minyan Call/Text/WA Owner: 516-206-1100

INWOOD OFFICE + Large Parking LOT FOR LEASE:

Bayview and Lawrence. Available immediately. Minyan Call/Text/WA Owner: 516-206-1100

ASSISTANT TEACHER CAHAL is seeking an afternoon secular studies Assistant Teacher in a girls’ Bais Yaakov in Far Rockaway. Send resume to shira@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666

SIACH YITZCHOK SEEKING Additional assistant teachers for General Studies. Wonderful opportunity to observe great teachers, work one-on-one with students, and gain some classroom teaching experience. Send your resume to Email teachersearch11@gmail.com

5 TOWNS BOYS YESHIVA SEEKING ELEM GEN ED TEACHERS

Excellent working environment and pay. Only lic/exp need apply. Email resume to yeshivalooking@gmail.com

JOB OFFERS

Bright Futures has openings for providers. Work one on one with children and earn great money doing what you love! Sports coaches, art teachers, childcare, etc. We pay $50/hr for providers with a Bachelor’s and $25/ hr for providers with a HS diploma. Email info@brightfuturesny.com or text/call 347-970-9531

SECULAR STUDIES TEACHER

Seeking a secular studies teacher for 4 afternoons a week in a girls class in 5 towns/Far Rock area. Send resume to rina@cahal.org or call 516-295-3666.

Classifieds

classifieds@fivetownsjewishhome.com • text 443-929-4003

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED HELP WANTED HELP WANTED

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

A multi-tasker needed for general office work. The ideal candidate is someone who is detail-oriented, responsible, and can take ownership. Looking for someone who is eager to learn, and expand his/her skill set while possessing the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Experience with Excel required. Five Towns location. In-office position only, not remote. Please send resume to 5tpart.timecareer@gmail.com

BOOKKEEPER

Excellent growth potential, Frum environment, Excellent salary & benefits. Email resume to: resumetfs1@gmail.com

A YESHIVA IN QUEENS

is looking for an experienced part/ full time secretary, 2-year-old morah, kindergarten morah, kindergarten morah assistant and Pre-1A English teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Nice and timely pay. Please email resume to mshelt613@gmail.com or call/text 718-971-9799.

NEW YORK-BASED PUBLICATION seeking associate editor. Strong editorial and organizational skills required as well as solid understanding of Orthodox Judaism. Editorial experience preferred.  Background in English, journalism or related field. On-site attendance/ Partially remote. Position entails copyediting, proofing, researching and writing skills. Email renee@ou.org

LOOKING FOR A DRIVER

Business looking for someone that has a large van or sprinter that can work a full day on Wednesdays on a weekly basis throughout the year in Brooklyn. Please do not call if you do not have a large van or a sprinter 347.992.7411

MDS REGIONAL NURSE:

5 Towns area Nursing Home management office seeking a Regional/Corporate level MDS Nurse to work in our office. Must be an RN. Regional experience preferred. 2-3 years MDS experience with good computer skills required. Position is Full Time but Part Time can be considered. Great Shomer Shabbos environment with some remote options as well. Email: officejob2019@gmail.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Receptionist. private dental office. Far Rockaway, Queens/Lawrence border. Exciting opportunity in a well established and growing practice. Seeking efficient, organized, ambitious, friendly, Peoples person to join our great team. Experience necessary. Great salary and benefits for the right person. Please email resumes Jonfriedmandds@gmail.com

SEEKING BABYSITTER

Seeking a religious Jewish woman as a babysitter.  Preferably full time. Please call Yosef at 718.928.5798.

Often, when someone makes headlines for a crime, reporters go sniffing around the miscreant’s neighborhood to see what the people who knew him before he was infamous think about him. It’s become a cliché to hear them say, “He was such a quiet boy; he would never hurt anyone.” Jeffrey Dahmer was a popular enough kid and even a bit of a class clown until someone looked in his refrigerator.

But sometimes someone commits a crime, and you think, “Oh, yeah, that guy . . . of course.” Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the headline from a recent article on BusinessInsider.com:

“Sam Bankman-Fried attended a top Silicon Valley prep school where his senior class prank reportedly included making $100 bills with his face on them called ‘Bankmans.’”

Is anyone surprised that a guy who may have committed a little light counterfeiting in high school went on to make up his own currency? Then secretly Venmo it all to his failing “hedge” fund? Then talk about it on a Signal chat called “Wirefraud”? And run the whole thing on QuickBooks? Now, he’s #1 on everyone’s hate list and he’s off their gift lists,

Your Money A Holiday Gift

By Allan Rolnick, CPA

too. Meanwhile, his customers and investors will have a hard time without their money. But there may be a holiday miracle in the works, thanks to some unusual collusion between prosecutors and the IRS.

Ordinarily, if your assets get caught up in a bankruptcy like what’s happening with SBF, you’re stuck waiting for the legal process to play out. You haven’t actually disposed of anything yet to recognize

they exceed 10% of their adjusted gross income. But the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made that harder by limiting theft losses to those connected to federally-declared disasters. Itemizers can also deduct theft losses from income-producing property as “Other Losses” on Schedule A. However, the TCJA also trimmed the ranks of itemizers to just 10% of taxpayers, further limiting either of those routes.

take those write-offs in “the taxable year of the investor in which the indictment, information, or complaint described in Section 4.02 of this revenue procedure is filed.”

In short, when federal prosecutors filed charges against SBF last week, their prompt action accelerated millions of dollars in tax savings for his victims. (Real dollars, not “Bankmans.”) As for SBF himself, when he saw police outside his door last Monday, he must have seen the first line of his obituary flash before his eyes. It turns out “Take the money and run” is a two-part plan. He nailed the first. Too bad he failed the second.

an immediate loss. And you can’t claim a capital loss for a worthless security for two reasons: 1) you can’t be sure your position will wind up truly worthless, and 2) the SEC hasn’t declared that crypto is a security. (O.J. Simpson is still searching for the “real” killers, too.)

Taxpayers who itemize deductions can deduct theft losses to the extent

Here’s where the IRS comes with a special gift for financiers. In 2009, Bernie Madoff confessed to swindling nearly forty thousand investors. To help speed up their tax savings, the Service issued Revenue Ruling 2009-9, which helps determine how much to deduct for Ponzi scheme losses. And they issued Revenue Procedure 2009-20, which lets victims

As for the rest of us, it’s worth remembering that while we may think of the IRS as a bunch of scrooges, sometimes their hearts really can grow three sizes in one day. On that note, we’ll leave you with best wishes for the holidays and beyond!

Allan J Rolnick is a CPA who has been in practice for over 30 years in Queens, NY. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at 718-896-8715 or at allanjrcpa@aol.com.

Jeffrey Dahmer was a popular enough kid and even a bit of a class clown until someone looked in his refrigerator.

Happy New –What?!

By Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS

What’s with the “happy new year”?! Didn’t we just do this, like a few months ago?

And on the other hand, what’s with the not saying “happy new year,” because it’s “theirs” not ours?!

In the Jewish calendar, we celebrate a new year for trees, and another for months, and another for mankind, and

another for the nations…so, clearly, we are new year “addicts.” Therefore, what’s another happy new year give or take one?!

I think the important message is that beginnings are to be noticed and applauded.

When we have our Rosh Hashana New Year holiday, we shlep all our sins

down to a moving body of water, heave them over the embankment, and pray they’ll float far away from us. Or, at least that some gaggle of geese will mistake them for mere bread crumbs and imbibe them.

We make a memorable moment of the day.

We even spend the day having continuous conversations with our Maker asking for opportunities for new, fresh starts. We are certainly not slouches all day long.

If we did it more, we’d need reminders less!

So how about? Happy every day. Happy for the sunrise…

For the phone calls…

For the friendships…

For the weathermen (OK, you can call it the humor station. Their guess is as good as ours)…

For our breath (not the morning one)…

For the groceries (at least the sale items)…

Yet, on the January new year, there’s just way too much partying! Shouldn’t that happen after we get the good news? What’s everyone blowing horns and getting so rowdy about?

Maybe what’s being celebrated is the chance for new starts, new opportunities, new possibilities…

So, nu (new). Is that such a bad thing to be celebrating?!

If everyone would take the time to register every day that you get a new gift – that day – each and every day, do you think all this new year stuff would be so necessary?

These days are talking to us! They’re trying to remind us to appreciate things. They’re trying to literally teach us to wake up and smell the roses.

For our digits, our arms, our legs… Get where I’m going with this?!

Bottom line is that if you want to take this seriously, you should not be saying happy new year intermittently but rather celebrating the chance for change and renewal every day and be exclaiming often, “Happy new you!”

Rivki Rosenwald is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with both couples and individuals and is a certified relationship counselor. Rivki is a co-founder and creator of an effective Parent Management of Adolescent Years Program. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or at rivkirosenwald@gmail.com.

What’s everyone blowing horns and getting so rowdy about?